LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



€l)ap. LB'aO.3 



JTo. 



ill 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS; 



oto to make % jirjfoal f ntothtg. 



EMBRACING SIMPLE 



RULES FOR MILITARY AND GYMNASTIC EXERCISES, 



AND HINTS UPON THE 



GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF THE SCHOOL ROOM. 



tilj (Kngrafifaugp. 



BY 



N. W. TAYLOR tOOT 




NEW YOEK 

PUBLISHED BY A. S. BAKNES AND COMPANY, 

51 and 53 JOHN STREET. 
185?. 






•'.: 



\ 






Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year eighteen hundred and fifty-seven, 

By A. S. BAKNES & CO., 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the 

Southern District of New York. 



JONES ic DENTSB, 

.gtereoigpers arttr fSlectrotsperjB, 

183 William-Street. 



PREFACE. 

There are many teachers who think their business 
dull work, and who regret the necessity which com- 
pels them to continue in it. They undertook it only 
to make a little money, and they leave it, as soon as 
they can, for some other, and, as they think, more honor- 
able, agreeable and lucrative employment. 

There are other teachers who live somewhat away 
from the influences of modern improvements in the 
science, and who remain content to continue in the 
old-fashioned track of dull routine. Some of them, 
however, occasionally complain of the treadmill char- 
acter of their daily toil, and wish, indefinitely, for 
some change. 

A large proportion of our teachers are young 
and inexperienced. They are earnest and energetic ; 
they are desirous of learning how to accomplish their 
duties fully and pleasantly ; and they are thankful for 
any instruction in means and methods. 

This book has been written for these three classes 
of teachers, and may prove of use to them. It is hoped, 
also, that almost every teacher may find something of 
value in it. 



IV PREFACE. 

The writer has assumed, first, that teaching is a 
business as well as a profession, and that teachers not 
only ought to be, but can be pecuniarily successful. 
That which is called " business talent" among merch- 
ants is lamentably buried, generally, among teachers ; 
for although in some parts of the country good salaries 
are paid to the teachers of public schools, and private 
schools are sometimes successful enterprises, yet it 
cannot be denied that a large majority of the teachers 
of the land are poor, and remain poor. We hear very 
rarely of fortunes made at teaching, or even of salaries 
paid which are not less than those which "smart" 
clerks receive in trade. Business maxims and shrewd- 
ness, and enterprise, are not carried into the trade of 
teaching, and until they are, teaching will be a " poor 
business." 

Teachers must learn to imitate, in some respects, the 
practices of " business men." Among them " capital" 
does not always control success, but advertising and 
attractive display, and " bargains" offered and " induce- 
ments" held out, and winning courtes} 7 " and industry, 
energy, and a little Yankee shrewdness — these, when 
combined, seldom fail to gain custom and profit. 

Investing money, even some of his hard-earned 
dollars, in organizing a company, or in fitting up a 
gymnasium, may be for the teacher what advertising 
has been for many a successful merchant. Time de- 
voted to teaching, as a business, out of school, during 



PREFACE. V 

vacations, constantly, may be rewarded with a success 
equal to that of our " devoted business men." It is 
very well to say that if a school or a business is worthy 
of success, it will have it in due time without " puffing/ 7 
if you can afford, or are willing to wait ; but if you 
have not the capital of reputation, push your business, 
gain a deserved popularity, and achieve success. 

Far be it from the writer to advise deceit, humbug, 
or quackery in this noble profession ; these are as un- 
necessary and unwise as they are censurable. It is 
believed that the various plans recommended in this 
volume will be found to be worthy of adoption by 
honest teachers, and that they offer real advantages to 
teachers, parents, and scholars. They certainly are 
not proposed as mere " tricks of the trade." 

A second point assumed is, that teaching may be 
made a more pleasant occupation than it usually is. 
That teacher who communicates with his scholars only 
from his desk, as " the master ;" who never unbends 
his dignified authority, nor relaxes his strict discipline, 
but maintains ever the state of a monarch, and sur- 
rounds himself with a hedge of enforced respect ; who 
neither knows nor cares to learn of any means by 
which school-labor may be made cheerful and attract- 
ive, and never attempts to remove the natural repug- 
nance which children have for abstract mental effort ; 
such a teacher can never enjoy teaching. But it may 
be made a " delightful task." Some of the writer's 



VI PREFACE. 

happiest hours have been spent in his school-room, ox 
among his scholars out of school ; and the remem- 
brance of the many acts of kindness and evidences of 
affection which they have done and shown, will 
brighten the whole of his life. Teaching is a noble 
profession, and the true teacher is one of the most 
useful, and may be one of the happiest, of men. 

To those who desire to teach more profitably or 
more pleasantly, or both, the following pages are 
offered, with the belief that they will not be found 
without some worth. The book is not a compilation 
of theories, but the result of practical experience. It 
contains no plan which has not been thoroughly tried 
and found useful. It might, undoubtedly, be a better 
book, and criticisms which may be made with the de- 
sign of aiding the cause which the writer advocates, 
are desired rather than deprecated. He wishes, how- 
ever, to shield himself from a charge which may be 
made, that he advises too much amusement. It may be 
remembered that the subject written upon is only 
"School Amusements/' and that these exercises are 
offered as suitable to be joined to labor, or thrown 
around it as a disguise. The writer would have, in- 
deed, gained little from experience, if he had not 
learned that nothing can be accomplished without 
labor, hard labor ; but he thinks that he has also learn- 
ed that some, if not all kinds of work may be made to 
seem play. 



PREFACE. Vll 

In conclusion, this addition is made to the volumes 
of " The Teacher's Library," with the hope that it may 
not be unworthy of at least the last place there ; and 
to hear that any of his fellow-teachers are pleased with, 
and aided by, its perusal, will be a rich reward to 

THE AUTHOE. 



CONTENTS. 



EVERY TEACHER HIS OWN DRILL-MASTER. 



Introduction, . » . 


PASS 
11 


To the Teacher, ...... 


16 


Drill First, ....... 


19 


" Second, ...... 


23 


" Third, 


29 


" Fourth, ...... 


31 


" Fifth, 


34 


" Sixth, . ........ 


36 


" Seventh, ....... 


44 


" Eighth, ...... 


46 


" Ninth, ....... 


51 


" Tenth, ...... 


55 


" Eleventh, ...... 


58 


"' Twelfth, ....... 


61 


" Thirteenth, ...... 


64 


" Fourteenth, ..... 


67 


" Fifteenth, ...... 


70 


" Sixteenth, ...... 


74 


" Seventeenth, ...... 


77 


" Eighteenth, ...... 


79 


" Nineteenth, ...... 


82 


" Twentieth, ...... 


84 


Uniform, etc., ...... 


87 


GYMNASTICS. 




Introduction, . . . . ... 


. 95 


Pedestrianism, ... ... 


101 


Walking, ....... 


104 


Running, ...... 


105 


Skating, ...... 


108 


Swimming, ....... 


112 


Miscellaneous Exercises, . 


120 


Archery, ...... 


121 



fix] 



X CONTENTS. 








PAQS 


Bowing, 




. 123 


Cricket, 


.) 


124 


Foot-ball, . 




. 124 


Gymnastics, (with apparatus) . 


. 


125 


The apparatus, (with plates) . 


. 


. 127 


Construction, 


• • • 


128 


Exercises, 


. 


. 132 


Parallel Bars, . 


. 


133 


Upright Bars, 




. 135 


Vaulting Bars, . 


• 


136 


The Swing, 


. 


. 139 


The Rings, 


. 


140 


Inclined Board, 


. . 


. 141 


The Ladder, 


. • 


141 


The Jumping Cord, 


. 


. 142 


The Pegs, 


. 


142 


The Horse, 




. 142 


SCHOOL MANAGEMENT. 




The School Room, 


. 


149 


Order and Method, 




. 153 


Administration, 


. 


154 


Principles, 


. 


. 155 


Application of do., 


. . 


160 


Results, 


. . - . 


. 167 


Whispering, 


. 


170 


Republicanism, 


. 


. 174 


Lectures, 


. 


176 


"Facts," .... 


• 


. 182 


Elections and Business Meetings, 


. 


185 


Moot Courts, 


. 


. 194 


Post Office, . 


. . . 


199 


The News, . 


. 


. 206 


Library, 


. 


208 


Reading Aloud, . 


. 


. 210 


Compositions, . 


. 


213 


School Periodical, 


. 


. 216 


Geographical Game, . . 


. 


217 


Arithmetical Game, 


: 


. 221 


Dictation Exercises, 


• • • 


222 



EVERY TEACHER 

HIS OWN DRILL-MASTER. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Military organizations in boys' schools have become 
popular, not only in the Eastern States, but in many 
other parts of the country, and this in spite of many 
objections which were at first raised against them, 
both by parents and teachers. It has been proved by 
experiment, in some of our best, our model schools, that 
the objections to the system are by no means well- 
founded, and, on the other hand, that the advantages 
arising from its adoption are many and real. 

One of the objections to such organizations has been, 
that they would tend to foster a warlike and bellige- 
rent spirit ; would lead boys to become, when men, 

" Full of strange oaths, 
Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel, 
Seeking the bubble reputation, 
Even in the cannon's mouth." 

" If," says the editor of the Ohio Journal of Educa- 
tion, in the May issue for the last year, " if this ob- 

Cxi] 



Xll INTRODUCTION. 

jection is well-founded, it should be fatal to all such 
enterprises. We certainly ought not to adopt the 
Spartan policy, and imbue the minds of our sons with 
a taste for blood and carnage. But we are not of 
those who have faith in the justice of this objection. 
Properly managed, such exercises can have no influence 
so to deprave the heart and vitiate the morals, as to 
fit one for the employment of fighting. Even partici- 
pation in wars does not generally promote a desire 
for war. The most distinguished warriors are, many 
times, the most ardent friends of peace. Such was 
Washington, such is Scott." 

In addition to this theoretical answer to the objec- 
tion, it may be urged that actual experiment has, in no 
instance which has come under the notice of many 
teachers who have conferred on the subject, developed 
such Spartan tastes as have been feared ; on the con- 
trary, cases may be cited where boys, who had been 
longing to enter the Academy at West Point, have ex- 
pressed themselves contented with military experience, 
as acquired at school. 

Another objection has been, that the expense of such 
organizations must be very considerable, too great, in- 
deed, for many, if not most, parents to bear. 

In reply it may be said that, " in some instances this 
may be true, where costly uniform and accoutrements 
are prescribed. But this need never be. The uni- 
form required may be as cheap and plain as any other 



INTRODUCTION. Xlll 

decent apparel ; and as for arms, they can generally be 
provided without subjecting the indigent to expense, 
or they can be dispensed with, and lances used, the cost 
of which would be next to nothing." — Ohio Journal of 
Education. 

Boys are content with but little finery in the way of 
gold lace and feathers ; at least this has been the ex- 
perience of the writer and other teachers of his ac- 
quaintance. 

In the concluding chapter of this section, the subject 
of uniform is dwelt upon at length, and it is shown 
that the objection of expense amounts to nothing at all, 
if, as is claimed, there are any real advantages to be 
derived from the system. 

The advantages claimed are these : 

1. Habits of promptness, exactness, and unanimity of 
action, are fostered, and very generally confirmed. 

2. Subordination is taught and practised. Implicit 
obedience to command, without " grumbling" or ques- 
tioning, is necessarily a distinguishing characteristic 
of military discipline, and it is just this which boys, 
now-a-days, need to learn. 

3. Erectness of carriage, a regard for a neat and 
clean appearance, and gentlemanly and respectful be- 
havior ; these are taught, and not only taught, but by 
enforcement learned. 

4. An attraction is added to the school. This is an 
important point. It is to collect and present to teach- 



XIV INTRODUCTION. 

ers tried and approved attractions to the school-house, 
which is the object of this book, and it is the writer's 
opinion, and that of many teachers, as the result of ex- 
perience, that hardly any other more real and worthy 
attraction than this can be found. 

5. Time is occupied by the drilling, parading, plan- 
ning, and talking, consequent on the adoption of a 
military organization, which might, and probably 
would, be spent in amusements more or less vicious 
and hurtful. 

If amusements are not provided for children, they 
will make them for themselves, and all know that the 
tendency of the usual amusements and conversation of 
boys is, unfortunately, towards vulgarity and even 
wickedness. But boys are never unwilling to submit 
to the direction of a parent or teacher, who, in a friendly 
and sympathizing spirit, proposes such amusements as 
the one under discussion, or as those indicated in the 
chapter on " Gymnastics." Indeed, it maybe confidently 
relied upon that not a single boy will be at all unwill- 
ing to " play soger." 

The success attending the adoption of the military 
plan at several popular schools is a final argument in 
its favor. Among these may be mentioned the "Col- 
legiate and Commercial Institute," conducted by Dr. 
Russell, at New Haven, Ct, and " The Rectory School," 
by Rev. Mr. Everest, at Hampden, Ct. With both of 
these the writer is well acquainted. To these may be 



INTRODUCTION. XV 

added the large and celebrated school at Sing Sing, 
N. Y., the public schools at Zanesville and Toledo, 
Ohio, and many others, in various places at the North 
and East. 

The writer, who has been, for several years, a suc- 
cessful teacher, has had considerable experience in the 
initiation and continuation of military exercises in his 
own school, and has thought that his brother teachers 
might be pleased to examine, and perhaps adopt, the 
system of organization and drilling which follows. 

His authorities in regard to ^first principles" are, 
mainly, the regular army instructions, as taught in his 
school by an ex-captain of the Mexican war, and as 
contained in " Scott's Tactics." 

It is hoped that the instructions here given will be 
sufficiently plain to enable every teacher to become his 
own drill-master ; yet it is advised that where a com- 
petent instructor can be procured, he be employed. 
In many cases this will be difficult or impossible, and 
perhaps, with this guide, it may be unnecessary. 

The writer would add, that he will be happy at all 
times to answer letters of inquiry from teachers on 
points not made sufficiently clear in the following 
chapters. Direct to him, through the Publishers. 



TO THE TEACHER. 

I may be excused for adopting, hereafter, a familiar 
style, one in which I may talk freely to my reader. 
Let me address yon, my brother-teacher, as familiarly 
as I should be glad \o do, could I meet you personally, 
and talk over with you my plans of drilling and or- 
ganization. 

Much depends on presenting the subject properly to 
your boys. It will not do to force the matter upon 
them, nor even to let it seem too much your own plan. 
Start the ball by asking them, rather carelessly, how 
they would like " to get up a company ;" say that you 
have just met with a book of instructions in drilling, 
and that perhaps you can teach them how to march 
and " shoulder arms/ 7 just like real soldiers. Let this 
leaven work, and, in a few days, they will be urging 
you to organize and drill them. 

You must consult your own judgment as to whether 
you should or should not talk of the matter with the 
parents of your scholars. If you are independent of 
trustees, or similar control, and are confident of your 
standing with your patrons, you may well go on with- 

[xvi] 



TO THE TEACHER. 17 

out consulting them. They will become convinced in 
time of the merits of the plan. I speak here from 
experience. 

But if you are under control, you will do well to let 
slip the plan among your boys before consulting with 
" the powers that be f for you will then be sure of their 
influence, besides your own, in favor of the proposition. 

We will suppose that the matter is decided on, and 
that the boys have talked it over among themselves, 
and with their parents, and are now urging you to 
go on. 

Call a meeting after school, some afternoon, to con- 
sider the question, " Shall we have a company ?" At 
this meeting, after talking of all the possibilities in 
favor of the plan, remark to them that there is one 
difficulty in the way, one that you are really afraid 
of, but one that, after all, depends on them for its 
removal. Beady and entire obedience is a sine qua non 
in soldiering. (Let me talk to your boys myself.) 

"If the captain orders his men to march to the 
right, and some of them prefer to go to the left, what 
becomes of the company ? Or if he commands, ' shoul- 
der arms,' and some would rather ' Fire/ and do so, 
would that be doing right ? And suppose again that 
I, as your captain, order a drill for some afternoon, 
and some half-dozen or so of you stay away ; but at 
that drill the company learns a new exercise, and at 
the next drill, they who staid away, of course, do not 



18 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

know this exercise, and by their awkwardness, 'put 
out' all the rest, and throw the company into con- 
fusion. 

"Now how can we avoid such troubles as these? 
This is the way I propose : Let every one who joins 
the company promise to obey me and the other officers 
in every particular, without a ■ why' or a ' wherefore/ 
an ' if ' or a ' but.' If you will promise me this, I will 
go on and do all that I can to help you become a fine 
company ; and when we are well enough drilled, we 
will make a public parade." 

It will be well for you to draw up a kind of pledge 
of obedience to all your martial orders, and require 
them to sign it, so that they may be influenced by the 
consciousness of having given a distinct and individual 
promise to obey. 

And here will be the place to connect the company 
with the school, by declaring that bad boys, or bad 
scholars, shall not belong to the company. You can 
do this, or not, as you think best. I can only say that 
I have not found such a course necessary. 

After having secured their promise to obey, you can 
appoint a drill for some future time, as soon as may 
be, requiring only, in the way of uniform, that they all 
wear jackets and caps. If they ask about uniform, 
arms, or drums, remark that they must leave all that 
to you for awhile, and that you will report to them as 
soon as you have decided on anything. 



DRILLING. 19 

You may consult the chapter on " Uniform, &c. f 
and be in no hurry, for you will have no need of any 
of these things for several weeks. 

In preparation for your first, and every drill, you 
must have thoroughly studied and practised every 
movement which you are to teach. Do not carry the 
book with you to the parade-ground. When on the 
ground, assume a martial bearing. It will be well for 
the success of your plan that your dress be somewhat 
a la militaire ; carry, also, a light cane, as an officer 
would carry a sword. Consult the drill on " sword 
exercise," and employ the " carry arms," while drilling. 
In demeanor be energetic, prompt and decided ; use 
no waste words, and err, if at all, on the side of sever- 
ity, rather than of familiarity. In fine, become an 
example of a soldier to them, in every respect. 



DRILL FIRST. 

The drill master assumes, himself, "the position of 
the soldier," in front of the " line" he wishes to form, 
and says : 

" Boys ! the command that I shall give you, pretty 
soon, will be, Squad ! Fall in ! I will explain this : — it 
means, make a line, side by side, facing me ; not too close 
to each other : without crowding ; as you come up, don't 



20 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

crowd in at the centre of the line, but seek a place at 
the left, next to the last man ; above all, fall in with- 
out talking or laughing, or even smiling." The drill 
master repeats these instructions, very distinctly and 
emphatically. 

Squad! — Fall in! 

" Remember the instructions I gave you. No talking 1 
Let your arms hang naturally at your sides, the middle 
finger of each hand just touching the seam of your 
trowsers ; stand only so near your neighbor on either 
side that your elbows, while remaining in that posi- 
tion, shall touch, but not press, their elbows. If you 
are crowded, move a little toward the left ; and if you 
feel pressure from your right-hand man, you must move 
toward the left." The drill master takes care that the 
line is neither crowded nor too thin. " Now, turn your 
heads (not your shoulders) towards the right of the line, 
and look along the line to see if you are not too far for- 
ward or behind : if forward, fall back; if behind, come 
forward. Nothing looks worse in a company than 
crooked lines ; we must pay particular attention to this. 

" My next command will be, Squad I — Attention ! 
You are not to move until you hear the last word, 
but then you are to face to the front ; heads stiff on 
your shoulders, with the chin drawn in ; eyes not look- 
ing at me, but on the ground, about twelve paces in 



DRILLING. 21 

front of you ; arms hanging as I directed before ; chests 
thrown forward, not the stomachs." The drill master 
illustrates, personally, the difference between protrud- 
ing the chest and the abdomen, giving them a side 
view of each. 

" Heels together, with the weight of the body resting 
on both feet ; toes turned out equally, so that the two 
feet shall make one exact letter V. Try this now, and 
be ready for the command, 

" Squad ! — Attention !" 

The drill master takes particular pains with each 
one to see that he now obeys the directions, in every 
one of these particulars. He gives as much praise and 
encouragement as possible. 

" This, boys, is ' the position of the soldier/ as it is 
called. It is the position which you are always to 
take at the command, ' attention,' and one which you 
are to retain, with but little change, while ' under 
arms. 7 Try, each one, to think over every particular ; 
the position of the head, eyes, chest, arms, hands, legs, 
and/ee£. Let your heads be as stiff on your shoulders, 
as if you had swallowed a poker. Let's see how long 
you can retain that position. Remember that I have 
taught you two commands : ' Squad ! Fall in !' and 
' Squad ! Attention !' I shall dismiss you now, for a 
recess, and shall call you together again in a few 



22 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

minutes." The drill master reviews, briefly, the ex- 
planations of each command, and then says : 

" Dismissed !" 

During the recess, the drill master drills the awk- 
ward ones individually, advising all to look on. He 
takes " the position" himself, and asks them to observe 
the positions of his head, eyes, chest, and limbs. After 
a short recess he commands, 

" Squad!— Fall in!" 

The drill master uses but few explanations. The 
only trouble here will be found in their crowding into 
the line. If this is serious, the drill master may insist 
on each one falling in on the left of the line. This is 
the rule, always. Be sure to get the line as straight 
as possible. 

" Squad ! — Attention 1" 

"Let each one of you remember the explanations. 
Take ' the position' in every respect. Think of your 
heads, eyes, chest, arms, hands, legs, and feet. Remain 
just so, while I talk a little while. 

"Perhaps you think this rather dull work. You 
hoped to have guns on your shoulders, and to go 



DRILLING. 23 

marching around the play-ground at this very first 
drill. But think a moment. You couldn't walk until 
you had learned to creep ; you couldn't read until you 
had learned to spell. Some of you didn't learn to 
spell well, and now what kind of readers and writers 
are you ? We are now learning the alphabet of sol- 
diering, and I hope you are content to go slowly and 
surely." The drill master makes other similar remarks. 
If there has been talking in the ranks, he makes a par- 
ticular law against it, and reminds them of their 
promise to obey him. 

With one more dismissal, and calls to " fall in," and 
the order " attention," — and this third time without 
any explanation, — he closes the drill. 



DRILL SECOND. 

" Squad ! — Fall in ! Squad ! — Attention !" 

Let there be a careful review of previous drill. 
" You will have observed, boys, that these commands 
are in two parts. The first part is called ' the word 
of caution,' the second 'the word of execution.' I 
will illustrate this. The next command will be, Eyes 
— Right ! ' The word of caution' is, ' Eyes.' You are 
warned by that word that something is to be done with 
the eyes. You are to do nothing until you hear 'the 



24 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

word of execution,' which is, ' Right.' As soon as you 
hear that, you are to turn your heads toward the rignt, 
so far that the left eye shall be on a line with the but- 
tons of your jacket, and are to glance along the line 
toward the right. You are to remain in this position 
until you hear the command, ' Front,' when you are to 
resume the first position. Now we will try it. 

" Eyes — Right." 

The drill master corrects such errors as heads turned 
too much or poked forward. He reminds them of 
the poker, which never allows the head to assume any 
other than an upright position. 

"Front!" 

"Eyes — Right! Feont! Eyes — Right! Front!" 

Repeat these several times. If they are not well 
done, the drill master may stand at the right of the 
line, and remark, " Boys, I want this motion done by 
all at precisely the same instant. Let the heads move 
just as if there were a long wire running through all 
the noses, and I should ierk it this way, at the word 
'Right.' 

The drill master's voice, in giving a command, must 
be very decided in tone. Utter " the word of caution" 
rather slowly. Make a sufficient pause, but not too 



DRILLING. 25 

long, between the words, and jerk out the last word 
and bite off the end of it, a few tones higher than that 
in which the first word was pronounced. 

"Eyes — left 1" is performed as the reverse of the 
previous command. The drill master drills them for 
some time on both, never forgetting that "Front!" 
must follow each command. 

" One object, boys, of these exercises, is to teach you 
to move together. The beauty of all military maneu- 
vres consists in exact harmony and oneness of the 
execution of the commands. And the only way by 
which this perfection can be attained is this : Each 
man must listen attentively to every order, and at the 
very instant he hears the last word, he must execute 
it thoroughly. I say thoroughly, because, if one turns 
his head, in ' Eyes right' or ' Eyes left/ as he ought, 
and the next one turns only his eyes, there will be an 
imperfect line. 

" My next command will be ' Right — Dress !' At the 
last word, you will do just as you did in ' Eyes — Right ; 7 
and, in addition to that, you will immediately correct 
your position in line. If you are too far forward of 
the rest, you will fall back quietly, until you are so 
placed as to see no further up the line than the buttons 
on the coat of the third man from you : if you are 
behind the line, you will come forward and find the 
same place. Thus you will make the line straight. 
Of course, the right-hand man stands fast, although he 
2 



26 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

turns his head like the rest. Besides this, if you find 
you are at too great a distance from your right-hand 
man, take side steps toward him, until your elbow 
iust touches his. Now we will try it. 

"Right— Dress!" 

The drill master stands at the right of the line, and 
orders particular individuals to come forward, or fall 
back, as may be necessary. 

"Front!" 

The drill master may observe that some are for- 
getting " the position," and, in rather a stern voice, he 
orders, 

" Attention !" 

and reminds them of their forgetfulness. " Left dress" 
is the converse of " Right dress." " Front" follows each 
command. The drill master drills them in both. 

" Rest" is performed by bringing the hands together, 
the left crossed over the right ; arms at full length ; 
left foot brought at right angles with the line ; right 
foot thrown back, the hollow three inches in the rear 
of the heel of the left foot, and parallel with the line ; 
weight of the body on the right foot. See plate 
No. 1. 



DRILLING. 27 

The command "Attention' 7 brings them back to 
" the position." 

" Break ranks — March !" is performed by clapping 
the hands together briskly once, and leaving ranks for 
a recess or dismissal. 

The drill master will practise both of these, taking 
care to have them well done, and then will close the 
drill, after a recess, with, 

"Squad! — Fall in! Eest! Attention! 

Attention ! Right — Dress ! Front ! 

Eyes — Right! Front! Left — Dress! Front! 
Eyes — Left! Front! Rest! Attention! 
Break ranks — March !" 

A drill should rarely extend beyond an hour. 

REMARKS. 

If reviews are necessary, as they probably will be, 
the third drill may be entirely a review. 
The teacher will need to guard against, 
1st. Talking and playing, "sky-larking," as it is 
termed, in ranks. This must be checked, and, if pos- 
sible, entirely prevented ; because the whole attention 
of the soldier should be given to the commands. If, 
while practising, " Eyes Right," and " Eyes Left," or 
" Right Dress," and " Left Dress," a boy is playing, 
and fails to observe " the word of caution," he will be 



28 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

likely to make a mistake ; others, thinking that he is 
right and they wrong, will follow him ; the neighbors 
will laugh, and be unprepared for the next order. 
This is only an illustration ; the principle applies to 
the whole course of drilling. Explain all this to your 
boys, and obtain their conviction to the necessity of 
this, your strictest law. Bring penalties to bear, if 
necessary. 

2d. Forgetfulness concerning " the position of a sol- 
dier." It may be safely said, that if, by any means, 
the teacher can secure attention and correctness in this 
particular, he may be sure of having a well-drilled 
company, in every respect. If the boys can be induced 
to pay sufficient attention to their work to maintain 
" the position" strictly and continually, they may be 
relied on for accuracy in all other particulars. It is 
the A B C of discipline. 

3d. A desire to advance too rapidly in learning new 
movements. " Slow and sure" must be the motto at the 
commencement. The teacher must insist on accuracy 
on the part of all and each. These " first principles," 
as they are called, must be practised over and over 
again. At every drill, a review of the previous drills 
must be gone through with, and nothing new learned 
until all that has been taught before is perfectly ac- 
quired. Yet the teacher must avoid fatiguing his 
troops. He must give all the variety possible. He 
must also avoid harshness and severity. He should 



DRILLING. 29 

drill an " awkward squad 7 ' by itself, making it some- 
thing of a disgrace to be ranked in this corps. 

Finally, the teacher must, above all, be himself all 
that he desires his soldiers to become. 



DRILL THIRD. 

" Rest !" In this position, hereafter, give all expla- 
nations ; none while under the command, " Attention." 

" Bight — Face," is performed by throwing the weight 
of the body on the left foot, making the heel of that 
foot the pivot on which the body turns, the right foot 
being raised very slightly and brought around, while 
turning, to the Y position, the one employed always 
while the soldier is not in motion. (See plate No. 1.) 
These "facings" are rather difficult. The drill 
master needs to practise them himself to perfection, 
before attempting to teach them. 

" In turning, be careful not to sway the body nor 
bend the knees. Do not move with a jerk. When 
faced to the right, the man in front of you is called 
your 'file-leader'; look him right in the back of the 
neck." 

The drill master will now give " Right face" three 
times in succession, when the line will be again facing 
him. He must caution them to keep their heads up, 
and to pay continual attention to " the position." 



30 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

Before giving " Left face," — which is done in the 
same way with " Right face/' — the drill master will 
remark : 

" Observe, boys, that ' the word of caution' tells you 
in which direction you are to face. As soon as you 
hear the word 'Right/ or 'Left/ think towards the 
right, or left, of the line. If you give the attention 
you ought, there can be no excuse for you if you face 
the wrong way." 

In these facings, the drill master will observe that if 
the line is crowded, there is trouble in turning, on ac- 
count of collisions. He may obviate this by giving a 
" right dress." Definition : — Heads turned so that the 
left eye is on a line with the buttons, and not poked for- 
ward ; eyes glanced along the line so that the fourth 
man is invisible ; and now, particularly, position taken 
so that elbows only just touch neighboring elbows. 
" No crowding or ill-feeling if a right-hand man presses 
you ; yield to pressure from that side, if a ' right dress' 
is given ; the reverse, if ' left dress.' — ' Front/ always 
follows a ' dress.' " 

The execution of these facings, together with a 
thorough review of previous lessons, ought to occupy 
the time of this drill. But, for a novelty, the drill 
master may prepare for " sizing." 

Let some contrivance be prepared by which the stat- 
ure of every boy may be determined. Each one should 
be furnished with a card, on which should be marked, 



DRILLING. 31 

distinctly, his feet and inches of height, so that he may 
remember them. The card has, also, other future 
uses. 

DRILL FOURTH. 

Before falling in, let each one have his card pinned 
on his back, just below the collar. After the line is 
formed (by Squad — Fall in ! Attention ! Right — 
Dress ! Front !) give command, " Bight — Face ! Size 
— March !" At this, each boy who sees a lower figure 
than his own in front of him, takes a side step to the 
right and advances until he sees a higher number, when 
he steps again into file ; and each boy who sees a higher 
number endeavoring to come in front of him, quietly 
falls back. 

When all have found places, require them to notice 
who their file-leaders are, so as to remember them, and 
thus make the next sizing less difficult. Require also 
a distance of sixteen inches from back to chest, (which 
is always to be preserved in file,) for convenience in 
coming to the front. The order to secure this is, " Take 
your fronting distance.' 7 They may easily understand 
how much space to allow, by your remarking that there 
should be just room enough between each man, in file, 
for another man to slip into, with a close fit. At the 
words, " Take your fronting distance," they who are 
too near their file-leaders must fall back, but never 
crowd back. 






32 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

The teacher must observe that in dealing with boys, 
he must be continually on the watch against talking 
and playing in ranks. There will, probably, be some 
of this in sizing, some disputing about places. Every 
means should be adopted to repress this entirely. 

The squad is now " in file," facing towards the right. 
" Front," brings them into line. If the line is crooked, 
give, " Right — dress." 

" Mark time — March I" At the word of caution, the 
weight of the body rests on the right foot ; the left foot 
is held ready to take a step. At the word " March," 
the left foot is thrown forward, as if to advance, and 
brought back to place : the right foot follows in the 
same way. There is no advancing, and care must be 

taken to bring the feet back into their tracks, or the 

\ 

line will be broken. While " marking time," the drill 

master counts " one, two, — one, two, — one, two," &c, in 
slow time, a little less than seconds. 

The command. " Squad — Halt !" stops them. The 

word " halt" must always be given just as either foot 

1 strikes the ground; there will then follow one more 

motion of the other foot, which all will bring down 

together, and cease marking time. 

The drill master must repeat the explanations of 
" marking time," and " halting," very distinctly. They 
must learn to rest the body on the right foot at the 
first word, and to throw out the left foot at the word 
" march." Insist that the body shall not be allowed to 



DRILLING. 33 

sway about while marking time ; that the head shall 
be kept erect ; that the eyes be all directed to the front, 
striking the ground twelve paces off ; and that the arms 
and hands be held correctly. The drill master must be 
prepared to give illustrations, himself, of marking time, 
and halting ; and, to stimulate ambition, he may com- 
mand a " Rest," select half-a-dozen or more of his best 
soldiers, form them in line, facing the rest, and drill 
them as an example. 

Schedule of orders in review, to close this drill : 

After a " Break Ranks— March !" 

u Squad ! — Fall in ! Bight — Face ! — Front ! 

Attention ! Left — Face ! — Front ! 

Right — Face ! Rest ! — Attention ! 

Size — March ! — Front ! Left — Dress ! — Front ! 

Right — Dress! — Front! Mark Time — March! 

Eyes — Right ! — Front ! Squad — Halt ! 

Eyes — Left ! — Front ! Right — Face ! — Front ! 
Break ranks — March!" 

These orders (varied at pleasure, and given promptly, 
so that they are kept at work actively) will give a 
good review. 

Interest will be added to the affair if visitors are 
present, especially military visitors, ladies, sweethearts, 
and parents. 

2* 



34 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

DRILL FIFTH. 

REVIEW, ESPECIALLY " THE FACINGS." 

» About— Facb !" Consult plate No. 1. At the 
word " About/ 7 the position of the " Rest" is assumed 
with the feet, (eyes, in both orders, to the front ;) at the 
word " Face," turn, on the left heel, completely around, 
bringing, the right foot to the side of the left ; the line 
will then be faced so that their backs are toward the 
drill master. To " make the motion tell" so that the 
executions of the order may be simultaneous, it will be 
well to require a stamp of the right foot as it is brought 
back, at the word " About." Do not go on to order 
" Face," until " About" is well learned. To recover 
first position, when " About" is imperfectly performed, 
give, " Bring bach right foot at tivo ; one — two !" 

Require avoidance of jostling each other in turning ; 
let them move as easily as possible. Drill some of the 
best, as examples, in front of the line. Illustrate fre- 
quently yourself. This " about face" is a difficult mo- 
tion. Be patient ; spend much time on it, at this and 
subsequent drills. Critics will watch this motion on 
parade. 

Continue with, "Mark time — March! Squad — 
Ealt ! Bight — Face !" You may now try marking 
time " in file." Require all to lift and throw forward 



DRILLING. 35 

the left foot first, and at the same instant. There will 
be no kicking of heels if all move together. If there 
are collisions, repress hard feelings, kindly. 

Practise marking time in file a long time, promising 
them that as soon as they do this well, they shall march. 
While marking time, give, "Forward — March !" taking 
care to pronounce the word '" march" as the right feet 
strike the ground. Marching, either from marking 
time or from a halt, must be by " the left foot first." 
Let them march only a few paces at a time. " Squad — 
halt," stops them. Require that they keep their 
" fronting distance" while marching in file. If any 
one finds himself getting behind, he must take longer 
steps. " Lengthen the pace, but never lose the time" 
While marching by file, if you wish to turn to the right 
or left, command " File — Right!" or "File — Left!" 
This order is obeyed by the file-leader, the one who 
stands on the extreme right, " in line." (If, however, 
the company is marching " by the left flank, file right 
or left," the left-hand man is file leader.) He turns 
promptly to the right or left, and the rest follow him. 
To prevent their making " rounded corners," stand 
yourself at the angle, and require them to march fully 
up to the corner, before turning. Take care to secure 
" square corners." 

The pace which is taken while turning is necessarily 
a short one, and as they who have passed the corner 
are advancing at the usual pace, ground will be lost 



36 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

by the one turning, unless he remembers to lengthen 
the pace two steps after passing the angle. This is an 
important point. It will be difficult for them, if fre- 
quent turns are made, to keep fronting distance. To 
demonstrate this, giye, suddenly, while they are march- 
ing in file, " Squad — Halt !" (Remember where and 
when to utter that word " halt.") You will find them 
straggling along at unequal distances. Call them to 
a " front," and give a "right dress I" Tell them that 
they must remember to preserve, while marching, the 
exact " fronting distance." 
a They must always look their file-leaders in the back 
of the neck. 

They must carry their arms without swinging, and 
yet not as if pinioned to their sides. 

They must remember the poker. 

Close this drill, after a recess, with 

"Squad — Fall in! Right — Face! 

Attention ! Size — Maech ! — Front ! 

Right — Dress ! — Front ! Break ranks— March !" 

DRILL SIXTH. 

After the line is formed and sized in the usual man- 
ner, command, "Tell off in odd and even numbers, com- 
mencing on the right, — tell off !" Eight-hand man 
counts " one," at the same time jerking his head towards 



DRILLING. 37 

the left, as in the order, " Eyes left f his head resumes 
position to the front as soon as the word is uttered. 
Next man counts "two," third man, "one," fourth, 
" two/ 7 and so on ; all turning the head. It is desir- 
able that all observe a certain tone in counting, as 
nearly similar as is possible with boys' voices. The 
rhythm of this counting should be in half seconds. 

If any one fails to turn his head, or counts wrong, 
order " Stop counting /" and begin again. Go back a 
dozen times, if necessary, but never allow an error. 
Tell each man to remember hi3 number ; and then 
give, " odd numbers standfast, even numbers an oblique 
step to the right and rear — March \ n Each of the even 
numbers (the "two's,") will take a backward step with 
his right foot in such a way (obliquely) as to bring 
him directly in the rear of the one who was his right- 
hand man ; he is to make but one step of it ; the right 
foot must be thrown backwards and sideways at the 
same time, the left foot following, and making at once 
the usual V with the right. The squad will then be 
in double file, (in two rows,) the " two's" all directly be- 
hind the " one's," and they should stand at rather more 
than the usual " fronting distance" in the rear of the 
" one's." 

If the motion is not well done, give, " Into line — 
March !" The two's (the rear rank) start with the left 
foot and, at one. step, resume their places in line. Try 
this again and repeatedly, until they can do it well. 



38 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

Since, at the next drill, on account of absences, some 
of the " one's" may be " two's," change your command 
to, "Even numbers stand fast, odd numbers an oblique 
step to the right and rear — march /" 

When all have well learned this, give, "Banks, right 
and left, — Face !" At this order, the front rank faces 
to the right, the rear rank to the left. Be particular 
here : caution them against being confused. If they 
blunder at this, " Front !" will bring them back for 
another trial. 

Now order, "Form company — Makch !" The right- 
hand man of the front rank will come to the front, the 
remainder of this rank will march up to him and come 
to the front on his line, and the rear rank will file 
right, and right again, and march on, following the 
example of the front rank. 

Perhaps you will be obliged to take one rank at a 
time. There will be no difficulty with the front rank, 
for their duty is simple : they will close up in file and 
come to the front as each man reaches his place. Let 
the drill master then go to the rear rank and order "File 
right — March ! File right again /" Bring the head 
of the column nearly up to the left of the front rank, 
and order, "Rear rank — Halt !" Time the order so 
that they shall halt at the right place, close to the left 
of the front rank. Then give, " Front ! Squad- 
Bight — Dress! Front!" and the thing is done. 
"When they have once done this they will not forget it. 



DRILLING. 39 

You now have the taller boys at the extremes, and 
the shorter ones at the centre of the line. 

Command, " Tell off in whole numbers, commencing 
on the right — Tell off I" The counting now is " one, 
two, three, four," and so on, to the left. The head is 
turned as in the previous counting, and the rhythm 
and tone attended to. Make them perfect in this also. 

We will suppose that you have twenty-four boys, all 
tolo\ You can divide them now into four sections, 
of six each. Command, " Tell off in sections of six, 
commencing on the right — Tell off I" The count is 
now, " one. two, three, four, five, six, — one, two, three, 
four, five, six, — one, two, three, four, five, six, — one, 
two, three, four, five, six." Each number " one" is 
" the right" of his section, each " six" is " the left." 

Go to each " one" and each " six" and say, " You 
are the right (or left) of the 2d (or other) section : 
you must not get into any other." 

Command, " First section stand fast ; second, third, 
and fourth sections, left — Face ! Prove distance, — 
Maech !" At this order, the second section marches 
forward toward the left two paces, the third section 
four paces, and the fourth section six paces. They 
halt there, and the order then is, to them, " Front !" 
Now your sections are in line, as before, but there is a 
space of two paces between the left and right of each 
section. These spaces are for officers, when they shall 
have been appointed. 



40 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

By this arrangement your taller boys constitute the 
first and fourth sections, and the shorter ones are all 
in the second and third ; that is, they are at the centre 
of the company. 

You will have occupied the whole hour, and per- 
haps more, by these maneuvres. Close by " Rest I" 
during which you call a company meeting, for the next 
afternoon, for election of officers ; they have sections 
and need sergeants. 

" Attention ! Break ranks — March !" 

Note. — In these instructions for dividing your com- 
pany into sections, I supposed, for the sake of simplic- 
ity, that there were twenty-four in line. There may 
not often be less, but there may frequently be more. 
For instance, there may be twenty-eight, thirty-two, 
thirty-six, or any number divisible by four. In such a 
case, take one-fourth of the whole number, — say thirty- 
two, — and command them to tell off in sections of (say) 
eight. But suppose that there is a number not divisible 
by four, in line, — as twenty-five, — there must then be an 
odd number in one of the sections. Command then, 
" Tell off in sections of (say) six, commencing at the sec- 
ond file — Tell off! "The second file/ 7 means the 
second man from the right. You now have seven in 
the first section, and six in each of the others. 

Suppose you had twenty-six. The same order will 
apply to this case also, as you will find on trial ; you 



DRILLING. 41 

will have seven in the first and fourth sections, and six 
in each of the others. 

It may happen that the taller boys are more numer- 
ous than the short ones, in which case it will be well 
to add to the numbers of the second and third sections, 
rather than to those of the first and fourth. 



REMARKS. 

I will suppose that your company consists of at least 
thirty-one members. You will need three "commis- 
sioned officers," four sergeants, and four corporals. I 
will speak of these officers in order of rank : 

1. Captain,- — who should be one of the oldest boys ; 
one who has been conspicuous, in drill, for attention 
and a certain quickness in apprehending and executing 
commands, and one who is a favorite among his fellows. 
To him you will resign the command, in time. 

2. 1st Lieutenant, — who must possess, as nearly as 
possible, the requisites desirable in a captain. He is 
vice-captain, and may succeed him. He has command 
of the " first platoon," and his commands take prece- 
dence of those of the sergeants. 

3. 2d Lieutenant, — who must also resemble the 
captain. He has command of the "second platoon," 
and his orders, also, are to be received as from the 
third in authority. The soldier's rule is, " Obey the 
highest authority you have given you." 



42 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

If you find three boys who are pretty nearly alike in 
capacity and popularity, you will do well to allow the 
company to elect, from them, their three highest offi- 
cers. 

4. 1st, or Orderly Sergeant, — who must, like all 
other officers, have capacity and popularity. He com- 
mands the " first section," and should be chosen from 
that section. He is also the secretary of the company, 
keeps and calls " the roll," musters and forms the 
company, (as shown hereafter,) and is, in some respects, 
a most important officer. 

5. 2d Sergeant, — who has command only of "sec- 
ond section/ 7 which is one of the two short ones. He 
should be chosen from his section. 

6. 3d Sergeant, — is to be chosen as the 2d sergeant, 
and commands only his section. 

7. 4th Sergeant, — should be chosen from the " fourth 
section," which he commands. 

8. 1st Corporal ; 9. 2d Corporal ; 10. 3d Corpo- 
ral; 11. 4th Corporal. — These corporals have no 
commands. They are merely "guides of company," 
stationed at the left of their respective sections. They 
carry guns, (the other officers all carry swords,) and 
drill as privates. They should be chosen for eminent 
soldierly behavior, steadiness, and attention. 

You will be prepared now to appoint and elect your 
officers. At the next drill I will show their positions, 
and more particular duties. 



DRILLING. .43 

These are all the officers necessary, even if your 
company numbers forty or fifty. But if you have less 
than thirty-one, you may appoint one captain, four 
lieutenants, each commanding a section, and four cor- 
porals. Rather than do this, I would advise you to 
endeavor to fill up your corps with boys not belonging 
to your school. However, sections of five, including 
corporals, will " do" and if you have only twenty-seven 
in all, you can have the seven officers first mentioned. 

At this meeting, called to elect officers, you should 
complete a regular company organization. Your 
constitution and by-laws may be at present brief 
and unfinished ; circumstances will teach you what laws 
are necessary, such as fines or other penalties for ab- 
sence from drill, disobedience of orders, talking in 
ranks, &c, &c. ; but your boys should go through the 
formality of signing some kind of instrument, which 
shall bind them to good conduct. 

The " orderly" must prepare a roll of names, (not 
including commissioned officers,) in alphabetical order, 
with spaces to mark absences, &c. 

A company name must be chosen. After suggesting 

a few appropriate names, (" Cadets," is a good 

one,) you might allow balloting. 



44 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 



DEILL SEVENTH. 



At this drill, and hereafter, " the orderly" forms the 
company, as has been shown in the two previous drills. 
You will need to instruct him thoroughly in his duties 
before going on the ground, and should prompt him 
while he is giving his orders. His orders and move- 
ments are as follows : 

He is to stand at " l a " (see plate No. 2,) and to com- 
mand, " Cadets — Fall in I" (At this word the captain 
and lieutenants take the places assigned to them in the 
plate: the 2d, 3d and 4th sergeants, and the four 
corporals, form in line, in the rear. The 2d sergeant 
has command of this temporary line, and may order 
" Eight dress/ 7 &c, if necessary.) " Attention 1" He 
now calls "the roll," and marks absences — each one 
responding, " Present/' on hearing his name. " Right — 
Dress ! Front ! Right — Face !" (If any of these 
motions are not well done, he must repeat them.) 
" Size — March !" (He cautions, " Get your fronting 
distance!") "Front! Right — Dress!" (A line not 
straight, perfectly straight, ought to be an eye-sore to 
any officer.) " Front ! Tell off in odd and even num- 
bers (always commencing on the right, in counting) — 
Tell off ! Form ranks — March !" (This order must 
hereafter take the place of the long one before used, 
viz. : " Odd numbers stand fast ; even numbers, an 



DRILLING. 45 

oblique step to the right and rear — march 1" Let this 
forming ranks be well done.) " Banks, right and left 
— Face! Form company — March! Bight — Dress! 
Front ! Tell off in ivhole numbers — Tell off I" (We 
will suppose there are twenty-four : if there is an 
uneven number, consult note at the end of this drill.) 
" Tell off in sections of six — Tell off ! First section, 
stand fast ; second, third, and fourth sections — Left 
Face ! Prove distance — March ! (See previous drill.) 
Front ! Sections, Bight — Dress ! Front ! Non-com- 
missioned officers — (here the 2d sergeant commands, 
to his rear rank, " Bight — Face I") to your posts — - 
March!' 7 (The 2d sergeant, followed by the other 
sergeants and corporals, marches up the rear of the 
line, [see dotted line in the plate,] turns square cor- 
ners, marches down the line, and, as each officer comes 
opposite his place, he steps in, with a " right face," and 
halts in line. Each sergeant takes the right, and each 
corporal the left, of his section.) The orderly now com- 
mands, " Sergeants, three paces to the front — March I" 
(These start with left foot, and keep time.) When they 
have done this, the orderly, following the dotted line 
in the plate, marches to " l b ," faces the company, and 
orders, " Company — Salute !" As soon as this is done, 
the orderly makes an " about face," marches a pace or 
two towards the captain, at " l c ," salutes him, (the 
captain returns it,) and then marches, by the dotted 
line, to his post, " l d ," makes an " about face," and 



46 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

comes into line with the other sergeants. He has now 
finished his duties, and the captain (or yourself) takes 
command, by saying, " Officers, to your posts — March I" 
The sergeants come, simultaneously, to an " about 
face/ 7 march directly into line, facing the rear, make 
another " about face,' 7 and are at their posts. At the 
same time the lieutenants march to their posts, which 
are pointed out in the plate. 

Note. — According to rule, the position of the 2d 
lieutenant is at the extreme left of the company ; the 
place designated on the plate seems, on some accounts, 
to be the more convenient one. 

It should be explained here, that if the company 
have arms, the order, instead of being " Company — Sa- 
lute, 77 should be " Company — present Arms ! 77 and they 
should remain " at a present, 77 until the captain takes 
command and orders, " Company — shoulder Arms ! 77 
Then follows, " Officers, to your posts — March ! 77 

This drill may well be wholly occupied in practising 
this "forming company. 77 It is, when well done, a 
very pretty movement. 



DEILL EIGHTH. 

The orderly forms company. During a part of this 
drill, the sergeants and corporals are to drill as 



DRILLING. 47 

privates, but at their posts. The commissioned officers 
are to be observing your commands. 

The " Rest at ease" consists in only this : the left 
foot must remain in line, while all the rest of the 
body takes recess. Talking is allowed, in a low tone ; 
but no one may touch his neighbor, (except when ac- 
coutrements are in use, and it is necessary to have 
them adjusted.) 

Give the whole company, " Rest ! Attention ! 
Best — at ease !" 

Now drill the 1st Section by itself, as follows : 
" 1st Section, — Attention! Mark time — March! 
Halt !" (The command " Guide right,' 7 means that 
each man shall feel the elbow of his right-hand man, 
without crowding him, and, while marching, shall take 
care not to leave his side. " Guide left" is the con- 
verse of this. If these commands are obeyed, the line 
need not be broken.) " Mark time — March ! For- 
ward — three paces — guide right — March !" (The word 
" march" must be given just as the right foot touches 
the ground. They can then start off with the left. 
Take care that they march only three paces. They 
must count, mentally, " one, two, three," and halt. Give 
the same commands again.) " 1st Section, about — Face ! 
Mark time — March ! Forward — March !" (Now, to 
halt them in line, facing the rear, give the word, " Halt" 
on the step before the one which would bring them in. 



48 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

Give them an " about face," when they will be in line.) 
" Right — dress ! Front ! Best — at ease I" 

Drill the other sections in the same exercises. Try 
to excite rivalry between the sections. 

Return to the 1st Section. " 1st Section — right into line 
—March !" — See plate No. 3. The idea of the move- 
ment is that the whole section, which now faces front, 
in line, shall face right, in line. At the words, " Right 
into line," the sergeant of the section makes a " right 
face," and the rest make a half " right face," (See plate 
No. 1,) with their right shoulders then in line ; each 
man faces that place which he is to occupy in the new 
position. At the word " march," each marches straight 
forward to that place ; the man next to the sergeant 
takes one step, the next man two, and so on. Of course 
they must march in time, and perhaps it will be neces- 
sary to require marking time, before giving the order. 
Say to them that they " must dress as they come into 
line" with the sergeant. 

In this and the following movements, you had better 
copy the plates on a large sheet of paper, and explain 
the movement to each member of the section. 

To return to former position, the command is, u First 
section, right — Face ! Left into line — March !" (See 
plate No. 3.) At the words, "Left into line," the ser- 
geant comes to an " about," and the rest make a half 
"right face," (See plate No. 1,) their left shoulders 



DRILLING. 49 

thrown forward ; at the word "march!" the sergeant 
completes the " about face," and is at his original post, 
and the rest march towards a point a little to the right 
of their old places in line, take one step beyond the 
line, turn to the right, and come into line at their ori- 
ginal positions. 

Both of these movements are difficult, the most dif- 
ficult your troops have had, especially the last. To 
insure success, be sure that you yourself know just what 
is to be done, and then endeavor to give them as clear 
ideas of it as possible, by means of diagrams, or by 
marking lines on the ground, or chalking them on a 
floor. It is necessary that these be thoroughly learned, 
because they form parts of movements to be learned 
hereafter. 

Drill each section separately on these. When they 
have each learned them, let them all do them together. 
Here your sergeants have something to do. Your 
command is, " Sections — right into line — (at this, each 
sergeant stept briskly to the front of his section, and 
orders, "first [or other] section — right into line; the 
sections are not to move at your command, but at that 
of their sergeants) — March !" When the movement is 
completed, each sergeant orders, "first (or other) section 
— left dress /" and takes his position in front of his sec- 
tion, two paces in front of it, and facing the captain. 

While performing this movement, the corporals have 
something to do. It is the duty of the second corporal 
3 



50 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

to take position directly in the rear of the first corporal, 
and of the third and fourth corporals to stand directly 
in the rear of the others. This keeps " the column" 
straight. Each sergeant gives " Left dress" instead of 
" Right dress," because the sections must dress by the 
corporals, who are on the left. 

The company is now " in column of sections to the 
front." It is in marching order, and the position of 
the officers are shown in the plate, No. 4. 

To return into line, the captain commands, " Com- 
pany — right. Face ! Sections, left into line — (Here each 
sergeant turns to his section, and orders, ' first [or 
other] section, left into line P and then takes his own 
position at the right of his section, facing right, but at 
the first position of an ' about face/ doing all this 
very briskly,) — March!" (Here each sergeant and 
his section executes the movement as taught above.) 

The company is now " in line" again. This will be 
a long drill, and some Saturday afternoon will be a 
good time to devote to it. There must be considerable 
repetition and a great deal of patience, on the part of 
both teacher and learners. But the movements are 
worth learning well, for they are brilliant and " showy." 



DRILLING. 51 



DEILL NINTH. 

We have now accomplished quite an amount in the 
way of drill and discipline. On some accounts I should 
prefer to continue drilling without arms, but, for varie- 
ty, and to satisfy the boys, who have all this time been 
longing for guns, we will introduce them. 

I shall suppose that you are provided with real guns, 
or at least with something resembling them, for you 
may have guns ; if you have lances, you can easily 
adapt these instructions to that innocent weapon. 

At the command, " Fall in !" each private and cor- 
poral' takes his gun (they are supposed to be numbered, 
in a rack), and takes his place in line. At the word, 
" Attention," the butt of his gun should rest on the 
ground (the trigger side out), about three inches from 
his right foot, and on a line with the toes. The right 
arm should form a right angle at the elbow, and the 
hand grasp the barrel of the gun. In order that the 
gun shall not be placed too far forward, the elbow 
should be drawn back, so that the barrel shall almost 
rest against the shoulder ; at any rate, so that the piece 
shall stand as nearly perpendicular as possible. In 
other respects, " the position of the soldier" should be 
preserved. 

" Shoulder arms" is done in three motions. First : 
the right hand, keeping its grasp, raises the piece 



52 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

perpendicularly against the right shoulder, and, at 
the same time, the left hand is thrown briskly across 
the breast, and grasps the piece just below the right 
hand. Second : the right hand comes down briskly, 
and grasps the piece at the lock. Third : the left 
hand is brought back to its side. These motions must 
be executed by all in exactly the same time. Take 
care that the body is not swayed about by the motion 
of the arms. " Remember the poker /" 

The grasp by right hand at the lock is, the first 
finger below the " trigger-guard," the thumb above it, 
and the other fingers around the hammer ; the weight 
being thus sustained by the projections, viz., the ham- 
mer and the trigger-guard. 

Until facility is acquired in executing this command, 
the order should be, " Shoulder arms in three motions — 
one — two — three I" Let each motion be done with 
so much muscular energy that it may be heard by all. 
" Make the motion tell P 

" Order arms in three motions — one — two— three 1" 
This is exactly the reverse of " shoulder arms." 1st. 
The left hand is brought across the breast and grasps 
the barrel, where it did before. 2d. The right hand 
is raised, and grasps the piece above the left hand. 3d. 
The left hand is returned to its side, and, at the same 
instant, the right hand allows the piece to come briskly 
to the ground, at the position of " Attention." 

Try these commands alternately. You cannot ex- 



DRILLING. 53 

poet perfection in this drill, but you must get as near 
it as you can. 

After much practice, you may try these movements 
without counting the motions. The orders will be 
simply, "Shoulder — Arms I" and " Order — Arms I" They 
must count, however, remembering the time you gave 
them. I should have said that the time given for the 
"one, two, three," should be, at first, in seconds, or 
even more slowly. You may shorten the intervals as 
fast as they acquire skill. 

These two exercises in the " manual of arms" will 
be enough for one time. The drill may be diversified 
by a review of the first three drills, and anything else 
already practised. 

At this drill it will be necessary to omit " the salute ;" 
their right hands are occupied. They will soon learn 
the " Present arms," which will take the place of the 
salute. 

REMARKS. 

Your orderly is bound to report absences, and all 
officers to report misdemeanors. Teach your boys to 
discriminate between the " reports" of an officer desir- 
ous of doing his duty, and of a companion who tells 
only as a " tell-tale." 

You must use your own judgment in regard to 
government, remembering, however, that you are 



54 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

" major" of the company, the highest in command, and 
as such, an autocrat in the strictest sense of the term. 

Now that you are so well advanced it will be well 
to have music. (Consult chapter on " Uniform, &c") 
It is better to drill mostly without music. The boys 
will easily acquire a kind of rhythmic instinct in 
marching, which is better for them than dependence on 
the tap of the drum. But boys are anxious to hear the 
music of a drum and fife, and it is well to gratify them. 

Your music, on the drill-ground, must occupy a par- 
ticular position, never leaving it except when the com- 
pany is marching. The musicians are to listen to your 
commands and be ready ahvays to strike the drum 
promptly at the word "march." In all brief move- 
ments, such as " Right or left into line — march !" a 
mere tap of the drum is sufficient ; and this, perhaps, 
is unnecessary. 

I may as well say here, and might have done so 
before, that it is impossible for me to speak of every- 
thing connected with this complicated matter of mili- 
tary discipline. Much, very much, must be left to 
your judgment and discretion. 

I should add, also, that, in some respects, my in- 
structions are not strictly in accordance with United 
States army rules. When I differ, it is either because 
I have purposely modified certain rules to adapt them 
to boys, or because I forget them. These latter 



DRILLING. 55 

changes or errors will, I hope, be few, and I am sure 
they will be unimportant. 

DRILL TENTH. 

Fall in, in line, without sizing or forming sections. 
We will practise the " Present arms/ 7 and then form 
company regularly. 

Review " Shoulder arms" and " Order arms." 
" Present arms" is done from " a shoulder," in two 
motions. At " one," the right hand raises the piece so 
high that the hand is against the thigh : at the same 
time the left arm is thrown across the breast hori- 
zontally, and grasps the barrel, and the right hand, 
taking advantage of the support given the gun by the 
left hand, changes its grasp in such manner that the 
piece may not be turned around when it shall be 
brought forward ; at " two" the piece is brought briskly 
up, the rammer outwards, and is held directly in front 
of the nose. The left hand grasps the barrel stiffly, 
the arm, at the elbow, being pressed to the side and 
forming an exact right angle ; the fingers grasp the 
barrel and the thumb is erect against the side of it. 
To make the right angle, the left hand must be 
lowered, slipped down the stock, after the gun is in 
position. The grasp of the right hand is at the small, 
round part of the stock, below the lock, all the fingers 
in front. 



56 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

Great care must be taken that these directions are 
all strictly observed ; for, if they are not, the guns will 
not be held perpendicularly ; they will be uneven in 
height, and held either too near, or too far from the 
body. All these are to be guarded against. 

" Shoulder arms/' " from a Present/' is the reverse 
of "Present arms." At one motion the piece is 
brought back to the side, the right hand resuming the 
grasp used in "Shoulder arms," and the left held 
against it with the fingers flat, not grasping it, merely 
to steady the gun against the shoulder : at the second 
motion, the left hand is brought back promptly to its 
side. 

In both of these two new exercises the commands 
must be, at first, " Present arms in two motions — one — 
two !" " Shoulder arms in two motions — one — two !" 
Time, seconds. 

I beg the drill master to believe me that, in these 
instructions, I use no waste words. He will need, for 
success, to take care that they are obeyed in every par- 
ticular. 

Company may now be formed in the usual way. 
At the place where the orderly has commanded 
" Salute," he may now order " Present arms," and they 
are to remain "at a Present" until the orderly has 
gone to his post in a line with the other sergeants, 
when the captain commands, " Company — shoulder 
Abms! followed by, " Officers to your posts — March!" 



DRILLING. 57 

Note. — At the "present arms/' when company is 
formed, the drums should beat a triple roll, two sounds 
to a roll. 

"Support arms" is done in one motion, "from a 
shoulder." The right hand, without altering its 
grasp, brings the piece obliquely across the body ; 
the barrel still rests at the right shoulder, but the 
stock rests at the middle of the abdomen, and the left 
hand is laid across the right. If the gun is pressed 
too tightly against the abdomen, the barrel will stand 
out from the shoulder, which is to be avoided. 

" Carry arms" " from a support," is merely bringing 
the piece back to the position of " Shoulder arms," and 
returning the left hand to its side. These motions 
must be done together, and all motions done promptly. 

In the position of " Shoulder arms," the right arm 
must be extended to its full length, not at all crooked 
at the elbow ; the barrel must rest in the hollow of 
the right shoulder, and the stock be pressed against 
the side of the leg. 

In movements, the guns should be carried at " Shoulder 
arms," but " Support arms" must be frequently given 
for a change. 

Review as much as possible in this drill, consistently 
with learning these new items from the manual. 

Hereafter dismiss company at a "Right face" in 
file. 

3 



58 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 



DRILL ELEVENTH. 

Review the manual of arms in the following order : 
Shoulder — Arms ! Order — Arms ! Shoulder — Arms ! 
Support — Arms ! Carry — Arms ! Present — Arms ! 
Shoulder — Arms ! Order — Arms ! Rest ! 

" Rest/' under arms, differs but little from " Rest" 
heretofore learned. The position of the feet is the 
same, (see plate No. 1.) As this position is assumed, 
the gun (" at an order") leans back on the shoulder, 
the right hand lets go its grasp and is brought across 
the abdomen, where it is crossed by the left hand : the 
piece then rests on the ground, in the hollow of the 
right arm and against the shoulder. 

" Attention," from " Rest," differs but little from the 
same command before learned. The gun is grasped 
by the right hand, the butt placed on a line with the 
toes, the feet brought to the V position, and the left 
hand carried back to its side : all these done at the 
same instant. 

Remember that no movements can be made while the 
guns are on the ground. 

" From a rest," the new commands of this drill are : 
" Company — Attention ! Shoulder — Arms ! Centre 
— Face !" (See plate No. 5.) At this, the corporal of 
the 2d section, and the sergeant of the 3d section, 
take one step forward, elbow to elbow : the 1st and 



DRILLING. 59 

2d sections (or, as they should be called, "the 1st 
Platoon") face left, towards the centre ; the 2d Pla- 
toon (3d and 4th sections) face right, towards the 
centre. The corporal and sergeant above-mentioned, 
are now to be the file leaders of the company, in double 
file ; they march (at the words " Forward — March !") 
straight ahead, and the next two behind them march 
up to each other, face to face, turn, one to the right and 
the other to the left, touch elbows and follow, " at a 
fronting distance," their file leaders : the others do the 
same. The lieutenants fall in and close up the file. 

The file leaders must be instructed to march forward 
in a perfectly straight line, aiming at some particular 
point : the men behind them must march as in single 
file, but each two keeping exactly together. 

To turn to the right or left, "File right," or, "File 
left," is given. Suppose the latter ; then the sergeant, 
who is on the left, turns in his tracks, the corporal 
wheeling around him as a pivot, taking care not to 
leave his side. Here an exact right angle is made, and 
as each couple comes up to the angle, they turn in the 
same way. " Make a square corner." 

When the company is marched out so that all are 
clear of any turning point, the captain halts in front 
of the file leaders and commands, " Into line — March !" 
(See plate No. 5.) The file leaders halt : the rest march 
up directly behind them, turn, the left-hand man to the 
left, and the right-hand man to the right ; each marches 



60 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

along the rear of the line which is forming, and steps 
into his place, dressing, as he comes into line, by the 
two file leaders. 

The company is now " in line," as at first. They 
will need a " Eight dress." Try this over again, this 
time marching longer in double file. 

In marching, the taller boys will naturally take 
longer steps than the short ones. To remedy this, urge 
that the first take shorter steps than they are naturally 
inclined to, and the latter longer. While marching, 
advise, " If you find yourselves falling behind your file 
leaders, gain on them, not by hurrying the time, (taking 
faster steps,) but by increasing the pace, (taking longer 
steps.) Always keep at a 'fronting distance' from 
them." 

Bring them into line again. Take care, akvays, to 
turn at right angles. Let the rear files march fully up 
to the rear of the line before turning. Let them march 
along the rear so closely as to almost touch the coat 
tails of the line, and come squarely into place. 

The captain will, during these movements, occasion- 
ally command, " Company, support (or carry) — arms 1" 
This is done for the relief of change. But it may be 
observed that " Support arms" is most convenient when 
the men are " in file," single or double ; and that 
" Carry arms" is best when " in line." 

After a rest " in line," practice the following new 
exercise from the manual. 



DRILLING. 61 

" Trail arms," " from a shoulder/' is done in three 
motions. At " one," let the gun fall forward from the 
shoulder into the palm and grasp of the left hand, 
which is to be thrown there to receive it ; at " two," 
let the left hand support the piece, while the right hand 
changes grasp, and catches the gun at that point where 
it will balance itself in the hand : at " Three," let the 
left hand return to its side, and, at the same instant, 
the right arm drop its full length, carrying the gun in 
such a manner that the bayonet (if there is one) is on 
a level with the eye. Each of these motions must be 
made distinctly, so that it may be heard all along the 
line. Instructor commands, — " Trail arms in three 
motions, one, two, three !" and counts in seconds. 

When this is learned tolerably well, practice it with- 
out counting. 

Review the whole manual now learned. 

Review "Right (and left) into line," by sections, 
and then by company. Take care that the sergeants 
give their commands briskly and distinctly. 

If time allows, review other movements, especially 
" the facings." 

DRILL TWELFTH. 

After forming company, drill in marching three (or 
more) paces forward, with a " guide right ;" do this 
first by single sections, next by platoons, and lastly, by 



62 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

"front of company." To march "by front of com- 
pany" a given number of paces (or until the word 
" halt") without breaking the line, so that, at the halt, 
no one is either too far in front or rear, and so that 
there shall be no need of " dressing the line" after the 
halt, — this is an achievement to be proud of. To do 
it well, the importance of the "guide right or left" 
must be insisted on ; in this, let there be no actual 
pressing towards the right or left, but let the elbows 
be in close and constant contact. Let the length of 
pace be thought of ; and the difference in pace between 
the taller and shorter boys. The latter are at the 
centre of the line, the former at the wings ; and if 
great care be not taken, the line will become crescent- 
shaped, the centre being behind. Execute this well, 
and you will receive praise from military critics. 

Change the programme of drill by introducing prac- 
tice in the manual. 

" Charge — Bayonet !" This is done, " from a shoul- 
der," in one motion. At the last word, the feet assume 
" the first position of an about face," the left knee is 
bent, and the body leaned slightly forward ; at the 
same time the piece is allowed to fall briskly into the 
left hand, as in " Trail arms," and is firmly grasped by 
both hands and held by both, with the bayonet on a 
level with the eye. " Every eye to the front !" Here 
(and the remark applies also to " Trail arms") the 
pieces should all be in line, that is, should have the 



DRILLING. 63 

same inclination. If they are at different inclinations, 
order "Dress your pieces by the right 1" that is, let all 
have the same inclination as that of the piece of the 
right-hand man. " Be brisk, boys !" 

"Shoulder arms" brings us back to the original 
position. 

Practise this a long time. It is a very "showy" 
movement. 

"Centre — Face! Forward — March! Outward coun- 
termarch— -March !" (See plate No. 6.) At this the 
captain stands at the head of the advancing column 
and the files separate as they come up to him, the right- 
hand file turns to the right, the other file to the left, 
and they march in a direction opposite to that which 
they were pursuing. They march as far as is conve- 
nient, and at the command, "Inward countermarch — 
March I" the two file-leaders face about, come together 
elbow to elbow, and march in the original direction, 
the others imitating them as fast as they come up to 
the position just left by the file-leaders. 

During the " outward countermarch," care must be 
taken that the file leaders march on a line with each 
other, and that their followers also are exactly oppo- 
site each other. 

In these drills, let the teacher take care that the 
" first principles," as taught in our earlier drills, are 
not forgotten. If at all necessary, let a whole drill — 
say a Saturday afternoon — be devoted to a general 



64 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

review. Insist, constantly, on the preservation of " the 
position of the soldier." Let the duty of watching for 
and correcting the evils of laxity in these " first prin- 
ciples, be assigned to all the officers, especially to the 
two lieutenants. Your captain must be mainly en- 
gaged in observing the commands you give, and their 
execution. 

DRILL THIRTEENTH. 

" Outward countermarch by two's — March !" (See 
plate No. 6.) This is done while marching in double 
file, as from " Centre face." At the last word, the 
leader of each file turns to march in an opposite direc- 
tion, as in the previous drill : he steps a little further 
out, and the second in file turns and marches at his 
side, being the inner man. Numbers three and four, 
five and six, and so on, of each file, do the same at the 
turning point. The result is, that as the outward coun- 
termarchers advance, (their backs to the captain,) they 
go " by two's." 

" Inward countermarch — March !" At this, — given 
when all have passed the turning point, and the two 
first couples are in a line with each other, — these wheel 
inward, the two inner men acting as pivots, and the 
two outer men come elbow to elbow ; the four now 
form a line and march toward the captain. If the 
first command is repeated, the four again separate into 



DRILLING. 65 

the original two's, and the movement is repeated. If 
the captain wishes them to resume the plain double file 
movement, as at first, he orders, " By double file— for- 
ward, March !" 

" Outtuard countermarch by four's — March !" (see 
plate No. 7,) is a duplication of countermarching by- 
two's. The first four of each file turn outward together, 
the first man stepping still further out, and the second, 
third, and fourth forming in line with him. 

" Inward countermarch by four's," is best explained 
by the diagram. At the word " march," the two inner 
men act as pivots, around whom the others wheel ; the 
two outer men join elbows, and lines of eight march 
towards the captain. 

As either of the last combinations (by two's and 
four's) return toward the captain, he may command : 

" Outward countermarch in single file — March !" 
(See plate.) At this, each man remembers his number, 
whether first or second, or first, second, third or fourth, 
and forms in single file accordingly. 

Countermarching is always an effective and attractive 
movement, when well done. Practise it very thoroughly 
and carefully. 

On parade, or at other times, it may be necessary or 
advisable to " ground arms." This is done, " from an 
order," in two motions : — at " One," the pieces are 
turned sidewise, so that the locks are nearest the leg ; 
at " Two," the left foot takes a long pace forward, and 



66 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

the body is leaned forward so that the right hand may- 
deposit the piece on the ground. The right foot does 
not leave its place in line. It is hardly necessary to 
practise this by motions. Tell them to turn the piece 
at the word " ground," and to do the remainder at the 
last word. 

" Take — Arms !" is the reverse of " Ground arms ;" 
there needs no other explanation. 

When arms are " grounded" on parade, and the com- 
pany takes recess, a guard must always be placed over 
the guns. The guard may consist of one, but two are 
better. If the recess is a long one, the guard must be 
relieved once or twice. The orderly sergeant appoints 
and instructs the guard. He may choose them in al- 
phabetical order, or in any other way. After the com- 
pany is dismissed, the orderly commands : " Guards — 
Attention ! Shoulder — Arms ! (They stand side by 
side.) To your posts — March I" One takes the ex- 
treme right, the other the left, of the line of guns ; they 
face each other, and at the word " March," they ad- 
vance toward each other ; they meet half-way, halt, 
present arms (face to face), shoulder arms, about face, 
and return. As they come to the end of their beat, 
they are not to turn carelessly, but to halt, about face, 
and then return to the half-way point. They are par 
ticularly observed, because they are individualized, and 
the honor of the company rests on them. 

When coming to an " about face" under arms, the left 



DRILLING. 67 

hand is to be thrown across the piece (" at a shoulder,") 
to steady it while turning. 

I prefer to introduce but one or two novelties into 
each of the drills at this time, because there is so much 
to be done in reviewing. 



DRILL FOURTEENTH. 

To form front of company by platoons, from sections, 
(See plate No. 8,) the captain will command : " Com- 
pany, by platoons, forward — March !" (If the company 
is already marching, the word " forward" is to be omit- 
ted.) At the command " March," the 1st and 3d ser- 
geants will command, " 1st (or 3c?) Section, by the right 
flank, file right — March !" They will march in that 
direction until the right of the 2d (or 4th) section joins 
the left of the 1st (or 3d), when the sergeants will 
command, " Front !" and then the two sections will 
march forward together in line, as a platoon. 

To return into sections, the command is, " Company, 
by sections, forward — March !" Then the 1st and 3d sec- 
tions march right on ; but the sergeants of the 2d and 4th 
sections command, " 2c? (or 4:th) Section, by the right flank, 
file right — March !" He marches them in that direction 
until they are again in the rear of the 1st or 3d sections, 
(the corporals being guides,) when they command, 
" Front !" and then all march as sections again. 



68 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

If, during the execution of these movements, the sec- 
tions are not in line, the sergeants must order a " guide 
left." If the platoons are broken in line, it is the duty 
of the lieutenants to order the " guide left." 

But, while marching by platoons, the command may 
be given, " By front of company — March !" when the 
same movement above explained for sections may be 
executed by platoons. The 1st platoon, at command 
of the 1st lieutenant, marches by file right, and fronts 
just as the right of the 2d platoon reaches and joins its 
left. 

At any time while marching, whether by front of 
company, or by platoons or sections, all may be brought 
into single file by the following command : (we will 
suppose that the company is marching in sections,) 
" Sections, by the right flank, file left — March !" At the 
words " right flank, file left," each sergeant goes to the 
right of his section ; he marches forward in the direc- 
tion in which all were marching before, but the rest of 
the section, at the word " march," faces right, files left 
and follows the sergeant ; he marches on (for instance, 
the 2d sergeant,) and comes behind the corporal of the 
section (for instance, the 1st,) in front of him ; and thus 
all are in file. The same principle applies to platoons, 
the lieutenants taking the duties of the sergeants when 
the movement is done in sections. 

I give no illustration of these movements, because 
my instructions are, I think, explicit, and because I 



DRILLING. 69 

wish the drill master to think them out, and make his 
own diagrams. 

A good use of this movement may be made as fol- 
lows : — Suppose your company is marching in a 
muddy street, and you wish to get on the sidewalk ; as 
your 1st section comes up to the cross-walk, command, 
" Sections, by the right (or left) flank, file right, (or if 
left, the corporals are file leaders ; sergeants on the 
right) March !" As soon as the sergeant reaches the 
middle of the sidewalk, order a " file right" or " file 
left." 

Draw lines on the ground for imaginary sidewalks, 
explain to your men the object of the movement, and 
practise it, both, to the right and left. 

Now, to come from single file into sections, as, for 
instance, from the right-hand sidewalk into the street, 
command, " Company, form column of sections to the 
front — March I" The 1st sergeant commands, at the 
word " front," " 1st section, file left, 11 and as soon as the 
whole section is on the cross-walk, he commands, 
11 Front /" The other sections, as they come up to the 
place just vacated by the 1st section, imitate its move- 
ments, each sergeant taking care to command, " Front," 
just when he sees his corporal on a line with the one in 
advance. 

Plate No. 8, gives other examples of forming sec- 
tions from single file. Study it carefully. 

In these directions, and, I suppose, in many others, 



70 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

there may seem to be much that is inexplicitly and 
confusedly expressed. I doubt whether it is possible 
to make these movements intelligible at a glance ; but 
I believe that if the teacher will give as careful a 
study to this treatise as he would to the works of 
a Latin or Greek author, he will not fail to under- 
stand it. 

In marching in the street, obstructions are sometimes 
met. The company will probably be marching by 
sections, the usual way. If it is desired that the com- 
pany march from the middle to the side of the street, 
(say the right,) command, " Company, by the right flank, 
file right I" When they are sufficiently near the side, 
order " Front !" At the first command, each section 
faces to the right, and in distinct and independent file, 
marches in that direction. " Front" brings them into 
the original direction. But they are now, after hav- 
ing passed the obstruction, too far on one side of the 
street ; " Company, by the left flank, file left ! Front I" 
brings them back. 



DRILL FIFTEENTH. 

In this drill I shall endeavor to present a series of 
movements, which may possibly serve the captain as 
a programme for parade. I shall explain only the 
new movements. 



DRILLING. 71 

It will be an excellent lesson for the "major" or 
captain to draw off, on paper or the black-board, a 
diagram of the whole, in connection. 

Company is at rest, in line. 

" Company — Attention ! Right — Face ! Sections, 
right into line — (each sergeant repeats the command, 
standing in front of, and applying it to his section,) — 
March ! Company, forward, March ! Sections, by 
the right flank, file right — March ! Company, Front ! 
(Sergeants musT; attend to their sections, and order a 
"guide left," if necessary.) Sections, by the left 
turn — March!" (See plate, No. 9.) At the word 
" turn," the 1st lieutenant (or " 1st guide ;" see para- 
graph at end of this drill) takes position beside the 
corporal of the 1st section, standing there to mark the 
turning spot for the other sections ; and at the same 
word, the 1st sergeant commands, " 1st section, by the 
left turn." At the word, " March," from the captain, 
the section turns, as shown in the plate. In turning, 
the line must not be broken, and a " guide left" may be 
necessary from the sergeants. As the 2d section 
approaches the turning point, the 2d sergeant com- 
mands, " 2d section, by the left turn" and as soon as his 
corporal touches the point opposite the lieutenant, he 
adds, " March !" The 2d lieutenant has now reached 
the turning point, and he assumes the place of guide, 
while the 1st lieutenant advances to his post. The 
3d and 4th sergeants and sections imitate the ex- 



72 SCHOOL amusements". 

ample of the 2d. As soon as the 4th section has 
turned, the 2d lieutenant takes long steps and regains 
his post. 

" Company, by platoons, March ! Platoons, by the 
left turn, — (the lieutenants command their platoons as 
the sergeants did their sections) — March ! Company, 
by front of company, — March ! Halt ! (until this word 
the company had been constantly in motion.) Right — 
Dress ! Support — Arms ! To the rear, centre — Face ! 
(' To the rear/ is something new. At the word, ' rear' 
the two file leaders, — who, in 'Centre — face' have 
taken a step together in advance, — come to the first 
position of an about 'face/ and at the word 'face/ 
they about face.) Forward — March! File — Right! 
File — Left ! Outward countermarch in single file — 
March ! Inward countermarch — March ! Outward 
countermarch by two's — March ! Inward countermarch 
— March ! Outward countermarch by four's — March ! 
Inward co untermarch — March ! Outward countermarch 
by sections in circle — March. (At the word ' march/ 
each section marches in a circle [See plate No. 10.] 
They revolve several times, and then, as the captain 
sees that the two file leaders are coming together, he 
commands, 'Forward — March!') Outward counter- 
march in circles by platoons — March. (The principle is 
the same as 'in circles by sections.') Forward — 
March ! Into line — March ! Bight — Dress !" 

"Front," after a " right" or " left dress," has been 



DRILLING. 73 

omitted, and will be, because it has been remarked that 
that command always follows a " dress." 

Practise now the manual of arms. The order of this 
manual may be varied ; but the captain must have dis- 
covered that there are certain commands which cannot 
follow each other ; for instance, " Order arms" cannot 
follow a " Present arms," and vice versa. 

Note. — " Guides" are an addition to a company, but 
are not necessary ; for, as has been seen, the lieutenants 
may do their duties. However, it is really beneath the 
dignity of a commissioned officer to do such duty. 
"The guides" may be the two smallest boys in the 
company. They may carry lances, with small stream- 
ers, painted (gilt on blue), with the name of the com- 
pany. Their posts are, while marching, at the rear of 
the 4th section, one in the rear of the sergeant and the 
other of the corporal, two paces oif. When " in line," 
their posts are at the extremes. When the line is to 
advance by front, to a new alignment (new position of 
line), they may be stationed as points to march to. A 
command in such a case, would be, "Company, forward, 
guide right, to the alignment of the guides — March !" 
They are also to stand at all turning points, the 1st 
guide being relieved by the 2d as soon as half the 
company has passed the point. 



74 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 



DRILL SIXTEENTH. 



While in sections, marching or not marching, the 
command may be given, "To the left, arms' length — 
Extend ! At the last word, each man, except the cor- 
poral, extends his left arm, and places his left hand on 
the right shoulder of his neighbor, at the same time all 
taking a side step, in time (a left-oblique step, if march- 
ing), until they are at such a distance from each other 
that only the fingers of the hands rest on the shoulders. 
At the command, " Arms — Down!' 7 each arm returns, 
promptly, to its side. 

This movement makes a fine display of the company. 

While marching thus, in open order, each man must 
take care to march exactly in the rear of the man in 
front of him in the section in front ; and he must also 
take care not to break the line of his own section. 

" To the right close — Maech !" brings them back. All 
except the right-hand man take a side step, in time, to 
the right (if marching, an oblique step), until elbows 
touch. 

" Company form cross on 2d section — March !" (See 
plate No. 11.) The company is in line. 2d sergeant 
commands, "2d section, stand — Fast! 1st sergeant 
commands, " 1st section, one pace forward — March ! 
Left turn — March !" and he marches his section to its 
position, as shown in the plate. 3d sergeant com- 



DRILLING. 75 

mands, " %d section, right — Face ! File right — March ! 
Front I" The " front" of this section is shown in the 
plate. 4th sergeant commands, " 4&h section, right — 
Face ! On right by file into line — March ! 

" On right by file into line," is a new movement. (See 
plate No. 9.) The section is at a " Right face ;" at the 
word " March," the right-hand man faces right, and 
takes one step forward, and the section, in file, marches 
behind him, the second man coming beside him as soon 
as he passes his back, the third man passes on by the 
second, and comes beside him, and so on. 

The sections are now in the form of a cross, with the 
corporals at the centre. Observe in the diagram, in 
which direction each section faces. (See plate No. 11.) 

While in this form, command, " Sections, left turn, 
guide left — March ! Sergeants seek the right of their 
sections, move with them, and in an under tone, insist 
on the " guide left." Let the right angles of the cross 
be exactly preserved. Turn once or twice completely 
around, back to place. 

Another movement in form of a cross results from 
the commands, from the captain, " 2d section, right — 
Face ! 1st section, about — Face ! 4:th section, left — 
Face! (All are now facing in the same direction.) 
Company, forward — March !" Let them march a few 
yards in this direction, the lieutenant taking care that 
the form of the cross is preserved, and thus command, 
" By the right flank — March !" At the last word, all 



76 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

turn, briskly, to the right, and continue marching as 
they face. " By the left flank — March !" is similar to 
the previous command. By means of a "halt," and 
an " about face," they may be made to march in still 
another direction. 

There are two ways by which the line, or front of 
company may be reassumed from a cross. (The sections 
must first be faced as in the diagram.) 

The first is by reversing the process of formation. 
Command, " Company, reduce cross and form front of 
company on 2d Section — March !" Sergeants command: 
" 2c? Section, stand — Fast. 1st Section, about — Face ! 
Forward — March ! (Until the left rests on the right 
of 2d section.) Right — Turn ! (They are now in line, 
facing to the rear.) About — Face ! 4:th Section, right 
— Face ! Left, by file into line — March ! (This is done 
in a manner exactly the reverse of that by which they 
were formed in cross.) 3d Section, left — Face ! File 
left— March!" 

All are now in line. Give a " right dress." 

The second method introduces a novelty, and the 
movement is more easily, rapidly, and showily exe- 
cuted. (See plate No. 12.) 

Command, " Sections, form circle — March !" At the 
word " circle," each sergeant goes to the right of his 
section, and commands a " right face," and himself files 
left, and at the word " march" he leads his file into a 
circle, as shown in the diagram. The circle must be 



DRILLING. 77 

complete, that is, without gaps between the ends of 
sections. The commissioned officers must have con- 
trived to stand in the centre of the circle. 

After marching once or twice around, the captain 
may command, " Company, by file, forward — March!" 
whereupon the orderly sergeant marches straight for- 
ward, (leaving the circle,) followed by the rest, in file. 
The circle is now straightened out, and the company is 
marching in file. " Company — Halt I" The captain, 
standing on the left of the advancing file, commands, 
" Front I" and the company is once more " in line." 

In marching " by the right flank," that is, from a 
" right face" or " file right," " Front" is executed by 
facing to the left ; " by the left flank," by facing to the 
right. 

The maneuvres of forming cross, and the various 
movements while in that form, are, perhaps, the most 
showy of any that can be executed. They should be 
perfectly learned. 

DRILL SEVENTEENTH. 

The company is in line. 

" Company , form square on second section, — March !" 
(See plate No. 14.) Sergeants command : — " 2d Section, 
stand Fast ! 1st Section, about Face ! Bight — Turn ! 
(They turn until they make a right angle with the 2d 
section.) Halt ! About — Face ! 



78 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

"3d Section, Bight — Face! File right — March! 
(They turn until the left of this section reaches the left 
of the second.) Halt ! Left — Face ! Bight — Turn ! 
They turn until this section makes a right angle with 
the 1st section.) Halt ! 

" teh Section, Bight — Face. Forward — March! 
(They march until this section reaches the left of 2d 
section). Halt! Bight — Face! Left — Turn! (They 
turn until this section comes to its place in the square.) 
Halt ! About— ¥ ace !" 

The square is now formed, all facing outwards. 
Commissioned officers should be in the centre of the 
square. Care should he taken that the angles are all 
right angles, and that the sides are " dressed." 

By so commanding that all shall face in the same 
direction, there may be marching in the form of a 
square, as was done in the form of a cross. 

To return into line, reverse the process of formation. 
The instructor ought, by this time, to be able to do 
this without explanations. 

While in form of square, practise the manual of arms. 

An effective movement while in square results from 
the commands, " Company, charge — Bayonet ! Sections 
five (or more) paces forward — March ! Shoulder — 
Arms ! About — Face ! Into square — March !" At 
the last word, they march back to the lines of the 
square, halt and about face, without commands for 
these movements. 



DRILLING. 79 

Company in line. "Right — Face! File — Right! 
(again), File — Right! Right by file into line, two 
paces distant — March !" (See plate No. 15.) The ex- 
ecution of this differs from that in the movements of a 
single section, as before taught, only in this, that it is 
done by the whole company and that, instead of form- 
ing in close order, each man passes two paces beyond 
the last in line and then steps squarely into line. If 
there is not room for the whole line in any one direc- 
tion, order, " Break ground to the right, or left." 

To return to a close line, command, "Company, right 
Face! In close order, into line, March!" The file 
leader (orderly) retains his position ; the rest march 
on, not increasing or lessening their distances between 
them, until they reach their file leader in line, when 
they turn squarely into line. 



DRILL EIGHTEENTH. 

In this chapter will be found various exercises and 
movements, together with general information, some or 
all of which may be introduced into this drill. 

The " oblique step" is often useful, in cases of meet- 
ing obstructions of any kind, or in closing ranks after 
" an extend." 

" Right oblique— March !" (See plate No. 16.) If 
from a halt, carry the right foot obliquely to the right 



80 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

and front about twenty-two inches from the left foot> 
and sixteen toward that side ; carry the left foot six- 
teen inches in front of the right heel. Take special 
care not to derange the head and shoulders, — that is, 
keep them to the front, and not in the oblique direction. 

" Left oblique" is executed on the same principles. 

" Forward — Maech " brings all to the direct march. 

" Arms at will I" It is necessary to give this com- 
mand occasionally, during long marches on parade, 
and, sometimes, at drills. 

At the command, the guns may be carried over the 
right shoulder, " at will." On long marches, " Trail 
arms" will be found a convenient way of carrying the 
guns; and at the command, "Change — Trail!" the 
gun may be shifted and carried by the left hand. 

Sometimes the line may be located a few inches in 
advance or behind a desired line. To bring it forward, 
station the right-hand man at the end of the desired 
line and command, " By file, right — Dress !" (or the 
left-hand man may be so stationed and "left dress" 
ordered.) At the word " dress," the second man, fol- 
lowed, one by one, by the others, will step forward and 
dress himself by the guide. The same movement may 
be executed backwards. 

In marching by platoons or sections, if any such 
division has gained ground, that is, is too near the 
division in advance, command, for instance, " 2d Sec- 
tion, marl— Time !" At the last word, they will stop 



DRILLING. 81 

and, as it were, march in their tracks, until their 
proper position is attained, when " Forward — March," 
will start them on again. 

I omit giving " Fix and unfix bayonets," together 
with the manual of loading and firing, because I shall, 
hereafter, urgently advise the use of lances. If, how- 
ever, guns are usgd, instructions on these points, — and 
on others which may seem desirable to be adopted by 
the instructor, — may be found in " Scott's Tactics," 
< : Hardies' Rifle Tactics," " The Recruit," and other 
military works. 

It may be discovered, by reference to these books, 
that the writer has not strictly adhered to " author- 
ity," but his reasons for deviating are that " author- 
ity" for men is not " authority" for boys, and, that 
instructions for men who are to be soldiers by profes- 
sion, are not adapted for boys, who are only amateur 
soldiers. 

The length of pace in marching, for boys, should be 
about twenty inches, on an average. Paces may be 
marked, on the ground or floor, of this length and all 
taught to acquire this step. 

In a " turn," from a halt, the pivot man turns in his 
tracks. In turning, while marching, the pivot man 
should advance not more than seven or eight inches, 
while the outside man takes the full pace, and no more. 

The swiftness of pace, in common time, should be at 
the rate of ninety steps in a minute. 
4* 



82 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

As recruits enter the company, the sergeants, undei 
the supervision of the major or captain, should instruct 
them in " first principles." They should be introduced 
into the company as soon as possible. 

The position of the " color-bearer," while marching, 
is with the 3d sergeant, in sections, or in file : with 
the 2d lieutenant, while marching in platoons ; at the 
centre of a cross ; and inside of a square. While the 
company is executing other division or company 
movements, or the manual of arms, the color should 
be posted out of the way, and the bearer is not on 
other duty. The color-bearer is, by right, an ensign 
and a commissioned officer, but it may not seem ad- 
visable to give him any rank. 

Promotions, resulting from vacancies or removals, 
should be from corporals to sergeants, and from ser- 
geants to lieutenants. In the absence of a corporal, 
a private may be appointed in his place, pro tern. ; in 
the absence of a sergeant, a lieutenant should fill the 
vacancy. 

DRILL NINETEENTH. 

The sword exercise of the sergeants is as follows : 

" Shoulder — (or carry) — Aems !" The gripe in the 

right hand, the arm extended, close at the side, the back 

of the blade resting in the hollow of the right shoulder. 

"Support — Arms!" The left arm forms an acute 



DRILLING. 83 

angle at the elbow, and the blade rests, the edge out- 
wards, in the left hand, the fingers uppermost. 

" Order — Arms !" or, " Rest !" The sword is brought 
to rest with its point on the ground, on a line with 
the toes, and as far from them as the extended arm and 
length of blade will allow ; the back of the hand out- 
wards. 

" Present — Arms !" This is done in two motions. 
At the first, the sword is raised so that the hand 
rest on the upper buttons on the coat, the flat of the 
blade outward and the blade inclined forward : at 
the second, the sword is brought down as in " order 
arms," but the point does not touch the ground, and 
the palm of the hand is outward. These motions 
should be executed in time with the motions of the 
guns. 

" Trail — Arms !" The same position as in " shoul- 
der arms !" 

" Charge — Bayonet !" The sergeant takes a posi- 
tion with his feet precisely as do the privates ; the 
sword is raised and held, horizontally, on a level with 
the eyes, the edge outwards. 

The captain and lieutenants may carry their swords 
either " at a shoulder" or " a support." . 

The sergeants should be thoroughly drilled, in a 
separate division, in these exercises, and should never 
fail to execute the required movement, when com- 
manded, on drill with the company or on parade. 



84 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

DRILL TWENTIETH. 

At a drill preparatory to a parade, practise every- 
thing which is intended to be displayed. If excellence 
has not been attained in any particular exercise, it is 
better to omit it on parade ; sufficient variety may be 
given even if several movements are omitted. Be- 
sides, it is best to reserve some maneuvres for future 
parades. 

Endeavor to infuse into the minds of all a spirit of 
determination to do the best possible. 

Take care that the sergeants remember and under- 
stand their commands, positions and general duties. 

At your first parade, it may be contrived that your 
colors shall be presented, by ladies, perhaps. Receive 
them in line, sergeants three paces to the front, lieu- 
tenants, five paces, captain, seven ; let all " present 
arms." This same salute may be given to individuals, 
for instance, to a person who has addressed the com- 
pany ; or it may be given at the houses (to the fami- 
lies) of officers of the company, or distinguished per- 
sons. 

Let a programme be carefully prepared of the streets 
to be passed through, and, particularly, of the move- 
ments to be made. Unless this is done, the command- 
ing officer may become confused, and make mistakes. 

Your captain may, or may not, be entrusted with 



DRILLING. 85 

the sole command. If he is to be, he should have had 
frequent opportunities to practise commanding, and, 
especially, should have entire command at this pre- 
paratory drill. If the teacher commands, it is in the 
rank of " major," and he should march with the cap- 
tain, to whom he should entrust some commands, and 
as many as possible. 

I would advise, as a programme for parade, the fol- 
lowing movements, the company being in line, and at 
rest : — 

Attention ! About — Face ! 

Shoulder — Arms ! Support — Arms ! 

Bight — Face ! Centre — Face ! 

Left — Face ! Forward — March ! 

About — Face ! File — Right ! 

Outward countermarch in single file — March ! 
Inward countermarch — March ! 

The same by two's and four's. 

Outward countermarch in circles, by sections — March ! 

Forward — March ! 

Outward countermarch in circles, by platoons — March ! 

Forward — March ! Into line — March ! 

Carry — Arms ! Order — Arms ! 

Rest! 



86 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

Attention ! Shoulder — Arms I 

Shoulder — Arms ! Present — Arms ! 

Support — Arms ! Shoulder — Arms! 

Carry — Arms ! Charge — Bayonet ! 

Trail — Arms ! Shoulder — Arms ! 

Shoulder — Arms ! Order — Arms ! 

Order — Arms ! Eest ! 



Attention ! Shoulder — Arms ! Right — Face ! 
Sections^ right into line — March ! 
Company, forward — March ! 
Right oblique — March ! Left oblique — March t 
Forward — March ! Forward — March ! 

Right turn — March! 
Company ■, by platoons — March ! 
By front of company — March! 
Halt ! Support — Arms ! 

Form cross on second section — March ! 
Sections, left turn — March ! Halt ! 

March, in cross, by right and left flank. 

Reduce cross and from front of company on 2d sec- 
tion — March ! 
Right — Face ! File— Left I 

Forward — March ! File — Eight ! 

File— Right ! File— Right ! 



DRILLING. 87 

Right by file into line, two paces distant — March ! 
Carry — Arms ! Shoulder — Arms ! 

Order — Arms ! To the right close — March ! 

Shoulder — Arms ! Eight — Dress ! 

Present — Arms ! Order — 'Arms ! 

Best — At ease ! 

Let this be written out distinctly and practised 
thoroughly at this drill. Try nothing else, and pre- 
serve this order of arrangement. Let the command- 
ing officer carry this paper in his breast and consult it 
when in doubt. 

Whatever has been omitted may be displayed at the 
next parade. 

UNIFOKM, ETC. 

There are reasons for the adoption of a permanent 
uniform, one to be worn every day, by a whole school. 
A boy who is dressed in the uniform in which he has 
been taught " the position of the soldier," will be con- 
stantly reminded to bear himself in a soldierly manner. 
He will be conscious that eyes are upon him as he walks 
the streets ; and he may overhear such remarks as, 
" There goes one of the Cadets \" If he has learned 
that " a perfect soldier must necessarily be a perfect 
gentleman," he will remember and do credit to his in- 
struction. He will not, generally, engage in such rough 



88 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

and dirty amusements as are likely to injure or soil the 
uniform which he is proud to wear. He will feel 
manly, and will behave like a man. Of course not 
every boy, but most boys, will be thus influenced. 

The expense, to each one, for an every-day uniform, 
should be less than for the usual variety dress. The 
cloth chosen, and the necessary trimmings, can be 
bought at wholesale, from " first hands," and any tailor 
will contract to make the clothes of a company, and to 
continue making them, at a less price per suit than he 
would ask for a single suit. 

Many of our best schools have adopted a permanent 
uniform, and their teachers and parents are pleased 
with the results. 

If such an uniform is to be procured, I may advise a 
grey suit, trimmed neatly, and not over-trimmed, with 
black silk braid : or a suit of dark blue, trimmed in 
the same way. To the taste of many, an entire suit of 
one color is more pleasing than a suit of which the coat 
is of one color and the trowsers of another. It will 
become a question, also, whether all shall wear coats, 
or all jackets. I have seen both styles, and my own 
taste has been better pleased with the coats. I have 
preferred little boys in short-skirted coats, to large 
boys, of sixteen or seventeen, wearing jackets. 

The summer trowsers of either uniform may well be 
of white or brown linen, which forms a pleasing con- 
trast with either blue or grey. 



DRILLING. 89 

The coat should be single-breasted, and cut with a 
military collar. The trimming on the coat may be only 
on the collar, (except for officers, see below,) and on 
the trowsers, a plain stripe on each leg. 

The regular army buttons may be ordered, in quan- 
tity, through any tailor. 

* The army "fatigue cap," — a style much worn by 
boys, — may be very cheaply purchased by the case ; 
and oiled-silk coverings may be bought with them. 

The entire uniform, thus described, need not cost 
more than $10 to each one, and may be procured for 
less. However, it will not be economy to buy cheap 
cloth for a permanent uniform. At wholesale prices, 
good grey cassimere may be bought for from fifty to 
sixty cents per yard. 

Thus dressed, the officers may wear a little gold lace. 
Corporals are entitled to one " chevron"* of gold lace 
on the left arm ; sergeants to two ; lieutenants to three ; 
and the captain to four. Sergeants may have a narrow 
strip of lace around their caps ; lieutenants two strips ; 
and the captain a band of broad lace, extra gilt. The 
three commissioned officers may wear epaulettes on 
parade. A pair of good gilt epaulettes, good to wear 
and last, will cost about $4 ; cotton epaulettes, which 
may well take the place of gilt ones, will cost seventy- 
five cents a pair. Epaulettes are fastened on the shoul- 

* A " chevron" is a strip of gold lace sewed on the arm above 
the elbow, in a Y shape, the angle of the figure being uppermost. 



90 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

der by passing under a band of gold lace ; and this 
they should wear at all times, as they wear also the 
chevron. If they have neither, they should be allowed 
to wear a parallelogram of lace on each shoulder. 

If it is decided to adopt a uniform only for parades, 
and if economy is a necessity, no expense, or next to 
none, need be incurred. Almost every boy has a darl* 
coat, with gilt buttons. Secure, then, as much uniform- 
ity in dress as possible, (let all wear caps,) add a little 
gold lace, and, perhaps, a little scarlet trimming, and 
you have all that is really necessary. 

If, however, the expense is not much regarded, a very 
pretty and very cheap uniform may easily be procured* 
Since the suit is to be worn only at occasional parades, 
it is not necessary to have cloth of any more than me- 
dium quality ; the inside trimmings may be cheap, 
pockets omitted, and the sewing substantial but not of 
the best. Such an uniform, bought at wholesale, cut 
out by a tailor, but made by a tailoress, or at home, 
need not cost more than $6, cap and all, for privates, 
and $7 for officers. 

Although this plan seems the cheaper, the other — of 
wearing a more expensive- and durable uniform all the 
time — will be found to cost less " in the long run." 

Guns are expensive. They may be procured at 
wholesale stores in New York at various prices, but at 
not less than $5 each, for decent arms. Possibly the 
teacher may be so situated as to be able to obtain, from 



DRILLING. 91 

the State authorities, the use of the " U. S. Cadet mus- 
kets," or the shorter (and clumsier) artillery musketoon. 
If this is possible, it certainly is advisable. But I would 
urge that guns are unnecessary. A very good imita- 
tion of a gun may be cut from seasoned oak or hickory, 
stained in imitation of black walnut and varnished, by 
a*y wheelwright or carpenter, and furnished at a cost 
of less than a dollar each. By some plan, bayonets 
may be procured, and fastened on these wooden guns. 
Thus equipped, the company, at a little distance, might 
seem to carry real guns. 

For my own company, I provided these wooden guns, 
ornamented with the cast-off and polished up bayonets 
of a military company in town. My boys were con- 
tented with them, and some people " always thought 
that they had regular guns." 

But I can recommend lances as being, in many re- 
spects, the best " arms" for a boy-company. They are 
cheap, neat, and have "no ugly, sharp points about 
them." They may be turned from ash, varnished, and 
tipped with a brass spear-head, and even ornamented 
with the " red, white and blue" ribbons (for parades) 
at a cost of from fifty to seventy-five cents each. For 
these (or for wooden guns) there should be a small 
knob of some kind, corresponding with the trigger- 
guard of a gun, by which they may be supported easily, 
and at a regular height. 

Swords, for officers, may be procured from New York, 



92 



SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 



at various prices. A good sergeant's sword may be 
bought for $2 50 ; swords for the commissioned officers 
should cost a little more, but not more than $5 each. 
Belts cost about seventy-five cents each. Sashes are of 
two kinds, silk and worsted : those of silk cost about 
$5 ; of worsted, from $2 to $3. 

Let us see, now, at what cost a company of thirty-two 
may be equipped. The uniform consists only of similar 
dark clothes and caps. In this case, the privates need 
expend but fifty cents each for lances, and a trifling as- 
sessment for the drum and fife. If the cheapest of 
everything must be bought, swords may be found at 
less prices than those above mentioned, say for less 
than two dollars each. We will have everything as 
cheap as possible, as follows : 



4 Sergeants' swords and belts, 

2 Lieutenants' " " 
1 Captain's 

3 pairs Epaulettes, at 75c. 
24 Lances, at 50c. . . . 
10 yds. Gold Lace, at 30c. 

Drum and fife, . . . 



$7 00 



00 
50 
25 



12 00 
3 00 

6 75 



$39 50 



We may safely say, then, that a company may be 
decently equipped for $40. Now, from my own ex- 



DRILLING. 93 

perience, I can advise a teacher to pay for all this himself, 
if, of course, he is teaching a private school. He may 
consider the money as an investment in his business, 
and I can assure him that it will prove a good invest- 
ment. His school will be made so much more attract- 
ive, that he may safely calculate on receiving a suf- 
ficient increase of patronage, within six months, to 
bring back the money. 

But whether the teacher buys these equipments 
himself or not, it has been demonstrated, I think, that 
the cost need not deter the teacher from attempting to 
introduce the system into his school. 

The music for a company may be provided in accord- 
ance with circumstances. All that is necessary is one 
small snare-drum and a fife. If it is possible, let these 
be played by boys. It will be cheaper to employ in- 
struction for them than to hire regular musicians at 
every parade. It is advisable to equip the musicians 
in a style somewhat different from the rest. Scarlet 
jackets look well ; scarlet caps will cost less. They 
are to be under strict discipline, like the rest, to be 
present at all drills, and to learn just when and what 
to play. 

The flag may be home-made. If made and present- 
ed by young lady friends, it will be the best possible. 
Flags of various prices are for sale at the military 
stores in Maiden Lane, New York, costing from $10 



1 II 




'94 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

' - . 

to $100. Send the amount of money you can afford 
to expend, and a flag of that value Mil be returned. 
There should be an armory of some kind, in which 
the guns or lances, the swords, flag, drunV&c.., should 
have suitable places. If nothing better can be pro- 
cured, a rack for arms may be cheaply put up around 
the sides of the school-room. 



PLATE 1. 



Pucht Face 



Kes-t. 


About Face. 
Whols Lute, About: 
dotted Luis , Face 




f'i 


1 




\ P\\ 




Lett into Line. 


■> 
TU$bf into Line. 


/,.. . ,...../ / // 


iV.W.-r \'*tii-7> // 



PLATE IV 



Captain. 



2d. S. 



Marchine 1 Order 



1 : : • Wi V/ - 


A7.A2.A?.A4. ; 


Ai.A? Aj./W. 


| i : 1 y?. v?. 
• * I • • i 


: . 1 ■ * ' 


; ; i i >ta y£ 


i : j ' 1 






> • * • 

i.i i i PLATE VII. 

: : : i 

S • ! • 
• • , i 




J ' 1 ',■■.: 
J ■ | • | ' 

! i • . » " 

\ \ \ v. j i ) \ V v 


< • • • • 
. • i • 


N " "" P. Rra. "' 




Outward and Inward Coimtermarcliiii 


% by Fours 




» • » • 


1 |y! • Y 2 Y : ' 


; |j| : 


: j j j s V3. y,?. 


1 j I : 


M/U/U/U tv t*' 


A4.A3A?./w.. 


Jnwrard Coimtermarchin.^ from Fours in piugte Pile 1 








'•. 



PLATE XI. 



V V V V V V V 
. i ■>■ 3rd. Sec. 



The Cross 



PLATE XII. 



AAAA/UAA 



V */ \V \y V/ V v/ v/ 



Left turn - in. Cros; 







PLATE XIII. 


- ^ 

..... -"& 

V/ 
V 






« 


V 


\ 


*V V. X. "N. V. «V V. x 


**-*l 

\ X N V N S X 


a 


' 


A 


/ 


A 

\v 

\> A 


#T 


o 

hi 


.....-' forward Match ! 

v— — >. 






Reducing; Cross. 



GYMNASTICS. 



INTRODUCTION. 

It is a fact not sufficiently noticed and lamented, 
that the young men of this country, who are engaged 
in commercial or professional pursuits, are, as a class, 
but weak and effeminate specimens of manhood. We 
see them on their way to or from the counting-room, 
the office, the study, dragging along their half-vital 
frames, pale-faced, dyspeptic, sacrificing themselves to 
gain a fortune which they may not have life, and cer- 
tainly will not have health, to enjoy if obtained. More- 
over, there seems to be a strange prejudice against 
bodily exertion, and this, to such an extent, that he 
who has means on which to live without labor, takes a 
kind of pride in doing absolutely nothing. Fast horses 
and fast yachts attract a few, it is true, but the above 
assertions are not to be denied in their application to 
the majority. 

The contrast between young America and young 
England, in respect to physical development, is marked 

D»3 



96 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

and striking. One sees in the young men of England 
or Scotland most noble examples of robust, athletic 
and graceful manhood. The young nobleman and the 
poor barrister, the banker's clerk, and even the shop- 
man, are, as a general rule, broad-chested, fresh-color- 
ed, hearty fellows, who take pride in walking ten miles 
before breakfast, in pulling a pair of sculls as well as 
a regular wherry-man, or in being thorough sailors, 
able to trim a sail or clean a deck. Athletic sports of 
various kinds are cultivated by the people. 

It will not be denied that we, as a nation, are un- 
wise in neglecting the admitted necessities of amuse- 
ment and exercise ; but it will not seem out of place 
here, the repetition of some of the arguments in favor 
of physical education. 

1. Nature demands it. Boys, at least up to the 
time that their heads reach the level of a counter, and 
they breathe in the lowest stratum of our polluted 
business atmosphere, delight in nothing so much as 
play, and that the heartier, the better. During that 
period nature demands and receives her full meed of 
attention ; the muscular and digestive systems, so 
closely allied, work harmoniously together ; the mind 
grows with the body, and under proper intellectual 
care, they seek mental and physical exercise with equal 
avidity. But as soon as the toga virilis, the skirted 
coat, is prematurely assumed, they " put away childish 
things." Their stock of boy-health and vigor lasts 



GYMNASTICS. 97 

for awhile, but too soon, the love of mental exertion, 
(its twin companion, bodily exercise, having been put 
to death,) passes languidly away, and the spurs of am- 
bition or desire of gain must be used to urge on the 
slow paces of a half- vital existence. 

2. Active exercises confer beauty of form ; and they 
even contribute to impart an elegant air and graceful 
manner. The most perfectly-formed man I ever saw 
was a young merchant, who was, at the same time, an 
enthusiastic gymnast ; a sculptor would have rejoiced 
to copy his graceful form, and study the details of his 
magnificently developed muscles ; he walked the streets 
with the carriage of a Grecian hero. And yet this 
same man had been by no means conspicuous for manly 
beauty before he began a course of training ; he had, 
in fact, entered a gymnasium in accordance with the 
advice of a physician, who wished to drive away in- 
cipient consumption. In this case, daily ablutions in 
cold water accompanied the exercises of the gymna- 
sium, and now, although he no longer labors at the 
vaulting bar, he values his bath more than his break- 
fast, and is like a caged lion if deprived of his regular 
daily exercise. And he accomplishes almost the work 
of two men in his business, yet keeps up with the 
literature of the day. 

His is not a solitary case : I know of many such, 
but not enough. 

The Oxford and Cambridge students afford numer- 
5 



98 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

ous examples of the mens sana, in corpore sano. Read 
Bristed's " Five years in an English University," and 
admire the manliness of the sensible students there. 

Recall the beauty of the heroes of the Grecian war- 
riors, or of the contestants in the Olympic games, as 
wrought in the living marble of the old sculptors, or 
copied by the genius of Maxman. The Greeks were 
men, and all the more heroes, and statesmen, and schol- 
ars, for being men. 

3. A consciousness of strength and dexterity, natu- 
rally leads a man to noble efforts in the defence or 
preservation of the weak or helpless. He who has 
been taught to be fearless in the water, and has learned 
to rely on his strength and endurance of muscle, will 
leap boldly into the waves to rescue a drowning per- 
son, while a score of sickly, effeminate fellows will be 
trembling on the shore. In many other ways, which 
need not be mentioned, true courage will be found to 
be allied with a consciousness of power, gained by ac- 
tual experience in manly exercises. 

If these things be true, it becomes us, as teachers, to 
inquire how we may best use our influence over those 
committed to our charge, to make them men, to 
implant in them a fondness for manly, healthful exer- 
cises, to give them a thorough education, physically as 
well as mentally. 

In answer to this question, I beg leave to call the 
earnest attention of teachers to my descriptions of the 



GYMNASTICS. 99 

following branches of physical education, which I offer 
as the results of considerable personal experience and 
long attention to the subject, as displayed in books and 
the practices of some of our best schools. 

Drilling — so called — has been already treated of, 
and there remains to be said but little on that subject. 
It has been considered mainly as a means of interest- 
ing students in their school and teacher, of teaching 
principles of subordination, unanimity, and promptness 
of action, an erectness and grace of carriage, and of 
affording an innocent way of occupying time, likely to 
be otherwise misspent. But drilling may be also re- 
garded as a branch of physical education. The boy 
who maintains " the position of a soldier" through a 
long drill or parade, at the same time carrying a musket 
of a weight by no means to be despised, gains strength 
and endurance of muscle, together with a certain de- 
gree of activity, and a habit of alertness and energy 
of motion. 

I am free to confess, however, that the tendency of 
drilling, unaccompanied by other exercises, is to give 
lads a certain stiffness of body which is by no means 
to be admired. French soldiers, who are taught, 
most thoroughly, a great variety of gymnastic exercises, 
are celebrated for their activity and cat-like litheness. 
In ranks they can be as immobile as statues, but in 
action they are as agile as leopards, and their powers 
of endurance have been attested by their rivals, yet 



100 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

inferiors, the English soldiers, in the late Russian 
war. 

It is necessary, then, I submit, to combine with drilling 
any or all of the exercises which are treated of hereafter. 

The teacher will remember, also, that the usual 
games and sports of boyhood ought not to be discour- 
aged. Bat-ball and foot-fall, " base" and " tag," and 
similar sports are well adapted to boys ; but while 
clinging to these, they may yet be initiated into more 
manly exercises, which may soon take the place of 
" childish things." 

It may be well, at this point, to speak for a moment 
of the old notion that the teacher loses dignity by 
mingling with his scholars in the amusements of the 
play-ground. I am glad to have evidence for believ- 
ing that this impression is retreating before the light 
thrown now-a-days on the profession of teaching. The 
teacher who is in doubt in regard to this, has only to 
try the experiment of joining in the sports of his boys 
to be convinced that he may, if he will act judiciously, 
maintain his dignity in the school-room, a dignity sup- 
ported by the affection of his pupils, although, on the 
play-ground, he may have acted as the companion, 
and even the equal of his young friends. If he will 
but be the elder brother or hind father of his boys, 
leading and guiding them in their studies and sports, 
he will be acting as a true teacher. The days of the 
mere school-master, let us hope, are nearly over. 



GYMNASTICS. 101 

I come now to speak, in course, of the following ex- 
ercises, viz. : — 

Walking, running, skating, swimming, archery, row- 
ing, and exercises particularly confined to the gym- 
nasium. I may here willingly confess my indebtedness 
for many suggestions, to that excellent English work, 
" Walker's Manly Exercises," an American edition of 
which, I may add, has been recently published in Phila- 
delphia. 

CHAPTER I. 

PEDESTRIANISM. 

It may be remarked, at starting, that too much at- 
tention is apt to be given to the development of the 
muscles of the arms and upper part of the body, to the 
neglect of those of the lower limbs. Viewing the 
matter practically, it is evident that there occur fre- 
quent instances in which the legs are called upon for 
prompt, rapid, and continued action. In self-preser- 
vation, or the rescue of others from accidents in the 
water ; in pursuit after, or flight from, those whom 
circumstances render the enemies of ourselves or others ; 
in journeys, or in forced marches, in which, as, for in- 
stance, in the case of Lieutenant Strain's party on the 
Isthmus of Panama, life may depend on the speed or 
endurance of one man : in these and other similar cir- 



102 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

cumstances there may often happen a need for stout 
legs, strong in large muscles, and guided by a thorough 
knowledge of what legs can do. 

In addition to these considerations, it may be well 
observed that the laws of grace and symmetry demand 
that the muscles of the whole body shall be developed 
and strengthened. The brawny-armed blacksmith 
stands, likely enough, on a pair of " spindle shanks," 
while the postman, or the professional dancer, has 
stout legs, but puny arms and a weak chest. 

GENERAL DIRECTIONS. 

Exercise of any kind is best practised in the early 
morning, or towards night, and if indulged in during 
the day, it should never immediately follow a meal. 

All unnecessary clothes should be laid aside, and 
the limbs left perfectly free. It is advised, particularly, 
that the habit be formed of leaving the chest and 
throat exposed ; at least the practice so much indulged 
in by boys, of wearing " comforters' 7 around the neck, 
should, except in very cold weather, be discouraged. 
The same advice applies to the covering of the head ; 
during exercise, a straw hat, or light oiled silk cap, is 
best. 

Many recommend a belt, tightly strapped around the 
abdomen. When used, however, it ought not to be 
strapped too tightly. In walking, and in other exer- 



GYMNASTICS. 103 

cises not violent, the belt is unnecessary, but in run- 
ning and leaping, and similar exercises, a moderately 
tight belt answers the purpose of preventing the too 
violent motion of the viscera, and of supporting the 
organs of the chest. 

Exercise should always begin gently, and end in the 
same manner. The being cooled too quickly is injuri- 
ous ; therefore a sudden transition from action to rest, 
drinking cold water while hot, and lying on the ground, 
should be avoided. As soon as the gymnast ceases his 
exertions, he should resume his clothes and continue 
walking about, moderately, until thoroughly cooled, or 
until ready to begin again. Men take this same care 
of race-horses, and they show singular folly if they 
neglect themselves. 

As preparation for walking or running, there are 
various exercises for the legs, tending to strengthen 
their muscles. Some of these are, 

1. Standing with the left foot in place, and taking 
a long step in advance, with the right, bringing the 
foot back to place promptly. 

2. Standing with the right foot in place, and step- 
ping with the left. 

3. Standing perfectly erect, and practising any of 
the " facings," as taught in drilling. 

4. Executing the peculiar stamping movement used 
in fencing, instructions in which are contained in any 
"Boys' Own Book." 



104 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

5. Standing on one foot, and holding the other in 
various forced positions. 

It is advised that these be practised in line — simul- 
taneously, in obedience to commands — by a regularly 
formed class. 

The suggestion might have been previously made 
that it is advisable to form classes for all exercises, 
and this for reasons obvious to every teacher. 

A circular " course" should be laid out in the play- 
ground, or, better, in some large, open field. If noth- 
ing better can be done, measure off a course in the 
highway, between two piles of stones. Let this course 
be as smooth and free from stones, &c, as possible. 
Let it be measured in sixteenths of a mile, or in rods, 
and devise some plan of distinctly displaying the de- 
grees of distance — by means of stakes, or marks upon 
a fence, parallel with the course. 

WALKING. 

In walking, it is not expected that speed will be at- 
tained. Good walkers very seldom accomplish more 
than five miles an hour, although for a single hour, 
and even for two and three hours, a pace of six miles 
an hour has occasionally been kept up. It is not de- 
sirable for an adult to attempt more than four miles an 
hour for any long excursion or trial ; and at that rate 
he can walk comfortably from morning to night. 



GYMNASTICS. 105 

Boys, of course, cannot accomplish as much, but 
there are few of them, over twelve years of age, who 
cannot make three miles an hour, for a long walk, 
and four or four-and-a-half for a single hour. Strength 
and patience to endure, is that which a pedestrian 
needs at first, to try to gain. After he becomes ac- 
customed to walking, he will come in from a walk of 
ten or twelve miles before breakfast, as fresh as when 
he started, the blood coursing in every vein, and with 
an appetite like that of a horse, while the lazy fellow 
who has crawled from bed just in time for his morning 
meal, has little enjoyment of food, or spirit for the 
labors of the day. 

The walker will not, of course, confine himself to 
" the course ;" he will delight in country walks, over 
fences and across lots. And the teacher will do well 
to organize excursion parties for his whole school, all 
starting off to see how far they can walk in the after- 
noon. 

RUNNING. 

The teacher may find it difficult to create an inter- 
est in walking, except among his elder pupils ; but all 
will become enthusiastic about running. Enthusiasm 
naturally accompanies ardent efforts to excel, and is, 
also, stimulated by this vigorous exercise ; for excite- 
ment of body always produces excitement of mind. 

Taking advantage of this desire to excel, let the 
5* 



106 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

teacher form classes and offer, in each, " the champion's 
belt" to the fleetest or most enduring, — a belt made 
well and slightly ornamented. Besides this, it will be 
well to honor the champion of the school. Races may 
be arranged, in which, by giving a start to the younger 
or shorter boys, the conditions may be just to all. 
Occasionally, therefore, let all compete together. Let 
the champion wear his belt until some one surpasses 
him and gains it. 

Directions for Running. 

In beginning a course of training, the racer should 
not allow himself to run until he is completely out of 
breath. He should begin with short courses, and, as 
he makes these gradually longer, he will find his lungs 
grow strong by exercise, and he can ultimately run a 
distance, to have accomplished which at first, would 
have been impossible. 

Let him learn to keep the mouth firmly closed and 
to breathe only through the nose ; to respire slowly, 
filling the lungs completely at each inspiration, and 
retaining the air in the lungs a moment before letting 
it escape. He will be astonished to find that, by such 
practice, he can become " long-winded," and will re- 
alize other advantages from having a large and strong 
pair of lungs. 

In running, let the arms be held firmly at the sides, 



GYMNASTICS. 107 

the fore-arm held so as to form an angle rather acute 
at the elbow, and let the hands be clinched. If the 
arms are allowed to swing, their motion interferes 
with the momentum of the body. Let the body be in- 
clined forward, the shoulders and head thrown back. 

After passing the running post, it is best to keep on 
running a few rods, and to keep in motion for some 
time after completing a course. Too sudden a change 
from violent action to complete inaction is hurtful, be- 
cause the artificial heat created by muscular exertion 
passes off so rapidly as to cause colds and rheumatic 
complaints. 

For a long course, endurance, or " bottom," as it is 
called, is of more worth than fleetness. Great speed 
is called for only in short matches. 

For boys of ten or twelve, two hundred yards, at 
full speed, is quite far enough. This distance may, of 
course, be increased for older boys or young men. 

For a race to test endurance, let a long course, from 
half a mile to two miles be tried ; or, let the contest- 
ants attempt to pass over the longest possible distance 
within a given time, say from ten to thirty minutes. 

Feats in Running, 

A mile in ten minutes is good running. A thousand 
yards in two minutes is very good speed. Six hundred 
yards in one minute is extra fast. 



108 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

Ten miles an hour is done by all the best runners. 
A mile in four minutes has, perhaps, never been ac- 
complished, but it has been done in four minutes and 
a half; while a mile in five minutes is frequently 
made. 

These feats have been accomplished by men ; boys 
cannot do as much, but legs half as long as men's legs 
ought to do more than half as much. 

SKATING. 

It will be unnecessary to do more than call atten- 
tion, briefly, to the merits of skating as a gymnastic 
exercise, and to speak of the best kinds of skates. 

The muscular exertion demanded in skating is simi- 
lar to that made use of in walking and running ; but 
since the exercise is taken in cold, bracing, wintry air, 
and at a season, also, when the number and variety of 
out-door sports is limited, it has peculiar claims on 
our attention. 

It may be said that boys need no instruction in 
skating, and the remark is quite true. The subject is 
treated of here because it is the aim of the writer to 
induce teachers to take interest in all the amusements 
of their pupils, and this in such a way as to gain and 
retain an influence over them for their good. I have 
one other reason ; I wish to persuade teachers to en- 
joy, themselves, the vigorous exercise and healthful 



GYMNASTICS. 109 

warmth and lightness of mind and body consequent 
upon an hour's skating in the bracing north wind. 

Skates are of various kinds, and it may be said that 
the simplest in construction are the best. The orna- 
mental curl which, for its grace, is much admired by 
boys, is a useless and, sometimes, a dangerous append- 
age. It adds to the weight of the skate, and is liable 
to catch against dead branches, which may happen to 
be on the ice, and thus trip the skater ; besides this, 
if the foot catches in an air-hole, or breaks in, the 
curl prevents an easy release. 

The runner should be as low as possible ; if it is 
high, too much exertion will be required from the 
muscles of the leg in keeping the ankles stiff. The 
best height of runner is about three quarters of an 
inch, and the width from an eighth to a quarter of an 
inch. 

Grooved skate-runners are much used in this coun- 
try, while in Holland, where skating is a national ex- 
ercise, " flat-bottoms" are universally preferred. For 
beginners, grooved runners are of use, because they 
take a firm hold on the ice and prevent that spreading 
apart of the legs which is the young skaters first trou- 
ble. But for those who have passed through their 
initiation of bumps and troubles, who are at their ease, 
at home, on the ice, the Dutch pattern is the best. 
With these, all the intricate " rollings" and cuttings of 
graceful figures which mark the skillful skater, can be 



110 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

easily performed. This kind of skate can be easily 
kept sharp, for they can be ground on a common grind- 
stone. 

The bottom of the iron should be a little curved ; 
much more ease and grace of motion may be acquired 
with curved than straight bottoms. The curve of the 
iron should be an arc of a circle whose radius is two 
feet. This shape enables the skater to turn his toe or 
heel outwards or inwards with equal facility. 

The heel of the shoe or boot worn by the skater 
should be low, so as to permit the whole foot to come 
in close contact with the skate and thus be fastened 
firmly to it. Heels are an excresence of modern shoes ; 
they are unnatural and would be extremely awkward 
were we not accustomed to them from childhood. For 
skaters the rule should be — only heel enough to hold 
the peg ; and if the wood is thick enough, cut away 
that part on which the heel rests and file down the 
peg, so that the bottom of the foot shall be parallel 
with the surface of the ice. 

Beginners may be taught to balance themselves on 
their skates by practising walking on them in a room, 
the floor of which shall not be dirty or gritty, and thus 
spoil the edge of their runners. I have seen beginners 
make excellent progress by retaining a hold of a long 
cord, fastened to a post or tree on the shore, or a stake 
made fast in the ice ; by means of this they pulled 
themselves forward, so that the arms exerted the pro- 



GYMNASTICS. Ill 

pelling power, giving the feet a better chance to learn 
the peculiarities of the stroke. 

Dangefb in Skating. 

" If the chest is irritable it is neither salutary nor 
easy to skate against the wind. In countries where 
these exercises are general, inflammations of the chest 
are very common in winter. 

" Skating sometimes exposes to much danger. If the 
skater find that he cannot get away from rotten ice, 
he must crawl over it on his hands and knees, in order 
to reduce his weight on the supporting points. If he 
fall at length on Weak ice, he must roll away from it 
towards ice more firm. If he fall into a hole, he must 
extend his arms horizontally over the edges of the 
unbroken ice and only tread water till a plank is pushed 
towards him or a rope thrown for his hold." (Walker's 
Manly Exercises.) 

From these few hints and instructions, the teacher, 
although not a practised skater, may gather informa- 
tion which, with other acquirements in similar exer- 
cises, shall tend to give him that influence over his 
scholars, both indoors and out, which he may and 
ought to have and retain. 



112 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 



SWIMMING. 



The writer was once saved from drowning by the 
fearless action of a friend, who leaped into the water, 
in full dress, and rescued him at the last moment. It 
is not strange, therefore, that he feels as if he were 
only discharging a part of the debt which he owes to 
his fellow-men, in urging on all the acquirement of 
the noble and healthful art of swimming. 

If swimming should be taught in all our schools, to 
both boys and girls, how many lives might be preserv- 
ed I It is true that boys generally learn to swim, and 
that without instruction, but they practise the art 
merely as an amusement, and only they who are natu- 
rally daring and energetic become sufficiently expert 
and fearless to afford reliable assistance to others, or 
to save themselves, in circumstances of danger. But 
it must need little, if any argument to prove that all 
may profit by suitable instructions, and by practice in 
various methods of swimming — with or without clothes 
and weights, alone or grappled by others, &c, &c. 
And it is submitted here, that it is the duty of teachers, 
a duty which they owe to humanity, to teach swimming 
to their scholars, to prepare them for the accidents 
which they are so likely to meet, during life, on the 
water. While they are fulfilling this duty, they will 
be, at the same time, instructing their scholars, and 



GYMNASTICS. 113 

adding to the general reputation and success of their 
schools. 

Confidence. 

A great reason why boys do not learn to swim 
easily, why they do not generally acquire a practical 
and thorough acquaintance with the art, is because 
they lack confidence. 

In the first place, the uncertainty and unknown 
depths of the water naturally alarm them. They are 
about to trust their life to an element which is proverb- 
ially treacherous. They fear the dark holes which 
may be waiting to swallow them down to a dismal and 
horrid death. 

In the second place, they are not assured of the fact 
that their bodies will naturally float. They fear that 
they shall sink, and as soon as their feet arc off the 
bottom, in an effort to swim, they make convulsive 
efforts to support themselves. These efforts teach 
them nothing. Swimming is only to be learned by 
slow and regular attempts in moving the arms and 
legs. During these hurried, frightened, and vain ef- 
forts to sustain themselves in the water, their heads, 
which they do not know is the heaviest part of their 
bodies, naturally gets under water ; they become 
blinded and half suffocated ; their terrors are increas- 
ed, and they, at last, scramble out, more than ever con- 



114 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

vinced that the water and their bodies are natural 
enemies. 

The confidence they need may be easily given to 
them by a teacher who has read the following, or other 
instructions, and who enters systematically on the busi- 
ness of teaching the art. 

Time. 

In the Northern States, the season for bathing ex- 
tends from the middle of May to the middle or end of 
September. The danger of entering the water too 
early in the season should be explained by the teacher. 
Boys are anxious to " go in swimming" by the first of 
May, during those warm spring days, when they be- 
come heated by exercise. But at that time they have 
not left off their winter clothes, their warm undergar- 
ments, and the change from being warmly clad to 
nudity and contact with cold water, is greater than 
they think for. My father used to give me this rule : 
Don't go into the water until a week after you have 
left off wearing your under-shirt. 

Morning is a better time for bathing than evening. 
It is not advisable to enter the water before digestion 
is finished. One should never bathe while in a perspi- 
ration ; it is unwise even to undress while perspiring 
freely, unless in very warm weather, and during the 
middle of the day. 



GYMNASTICS. 115 

Place. 

Of all places for swimming, the sea is best ; running 
water next ; and ponds the worst. Whatever place is 
chosen, let the character of the bottom and the depths 
be accurately learned by all. Stakes may be driven 
to mark the line beyond which the depth is "over 
head." For diving, care must be taken that there is 
always sufficient depth, and that the bottom is free 
from stones. 

Dress. 

Due regard to modesty, in the case of a teacher and 
his class, requires that short drawers be worn by all. 
A little ingenuity and effort will supply them. If the 
bottom be stony or shelly, canvass slippers, no matter 
how roughly made, are desirable. Leather shoes be- 
come useless after a few exposures to saturation and 
drying. 

Each scholar should have a suit of old clothes ready 
to be worn in the water, after sufficient progress has 
been made in plain swimming. 

First Lesson. 

Wet the head on entering the water. Avoid stand- 
ing still long at a time, while naked, either in or out 
of the water. Let the instructor, followed by his class, 



116 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

wade cautiously all over the ground, in order that the 
boys may see that it is nowhere over their shoulders. 
Let all be convinced of this, so that no one shall fear 
getting beyond his depth. 

Let the teacher now show his class the buoyancy of 
his body by floating ; or, if he cannot float, let him 
illustrate the difficulty of keeping his body beneath the 
surface of the water. Let him explain why the chest 
is the lightest part of the body, the limbs next in den- 
sity, and the head the heaviest. In salt water, one- 
tenth of the weight of the body will remain above the 
surface ; in fresh water one-eleventh. If, therefore, 
the body can assume such a position as to leave above 
the surface the nose and eyes, for the sake of seeing 
and breathing, the swimmer may float at ease. 

As an experiment in further illustration of the buoy- 
ancy of the body, let the beginner, standing breast- 
high in the water, attempt to bring up a handful of 
sand from the bottom. He will find it difficult to sink 
himself, although his head is under. Dr. Franklin 
advises the boy to try to bring up an egg, left purposely 
at the above depth. To accomplish this, he must go 
down with his eyes open. There is no trouble in 
doing this, if the experimenter will only think so. It 
is important for all to learn to use their sight under 
water, as, for instance, in cases where a drowning 
person has sunk, and a diver plunges down to bring 
up the body. 



GYMNASTICS. 117 

Require every boy to tryto bring up the egg or 
sand. Let all learn in this lesson, first, that it is im- 
possible for the body to sink, as long as the lungs are 
filled with air ; and, second, that the place chosen is 
safe. 

Aids. 

In succeeding lessons, the first principles of swim- 
ming may be taught. 

The aid of the hand is much better than corks, blad- 
ders, or any similar supports. Let the instructor offer 
his hands, held firmly just beneath the surface, as a 
support for the body of the pupil, one hand being 
placed under the chest, and the other under the abdo- 
men. Hold the boy thus, urging him, at the same 
time, to trust himself fearlessly to your care. If he 
doubts your ability, you may easily convince him that 
he can hold you ; that the water helps to sustain the 
weight. When he is quietly resting on your hands, 
tell him to draw up his legs, and kick them backwards, 
like a frog, but not violently. When he does this 
properly, instruct him in the proper motions of the 
arms and hands. Require all to take the same lesson. 

For the next attempt, provide pieces of cork or light 
wood, about a foot long, and six or seven inches broad, 
fasten bands to these, so that they may be tied on the 
back ; let one end, which may be rounded, lie between 
the shoulder-blades. To this cork or float, other pieces 



118 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

may be added, and be so arranged that, as the swim- 
mer improves, they may be left off, one by one. If, 
with these, a pupil seems to find difficulty in learn- 
ing, take him upon your hands, and teach him. But 
do not force them to learn ; convince them that there 
is no danger, and they will not. require force. 

Besjoiration. 

Let the pupils be advised to breathe slowly and 
regularly, and to draw in the breath at the moment 
when the stroke has just been given with the hands, 
and the head, therefore, is well above the water. If 
the air is inhaled while the hands are thrust forward 
and the stroke is given by the legs, the mouth will be 
so near the surface as to make it likely that water will 
be taken in and strangling ensue. 

Coming Out, 

As soon as the pupil feels weary, or becomes chilly 
and numb, he should come out and dress himself. It 
is strongly advised that friction be used before dress- 
ing ; this restores the circulation of the blood, creates 
an agreeable glow, and strengthens the joints and 
muscles. 



GYMNASTICS. 119 

General Suggestions, 

Directions for the various kinds of swimming are 
contained in almost any " Boys' Own Book," and in 
Dr. Franklin's works. It seems unnecessary to refer 
to these here, because they are for amusement more 
than utility. True, a person obliged to swim a great 
distance has occasion to relieve himself by resorting 
to the various methods of propulsion or rest ; but these 
are easily acquired. But the teacher should encourage, 
and indeed require, practice in swimming with the 
clothes on ; in leaping into the water, in full dress, 
from a height as great as that from the deck of a ship ; 
in swimming with a weight on one arm ; in supporting 
the body of a comrade, or carrying him to the shore ; 
in avoiding the clutches of one of their number who 
may act as a drowning person would ;* to dive and 
bring up a weight equal to that of a drowned person ; 
to swim for a long time ; to swim long under water ; 
and all such practice as can be thought of, which will 
be likely to be of practical use. Let the boys be ani- 
mated to excel in these respects with the hope of being 
better able to save their own and others' lives. 

Cramp may be cured or relieved by thrusting the 
leg violently downwards, at the same time drawing up 
the toes. If this does not succeed, let the swimmer 

* The method to be adopted in such a case is to avoid the fatal grasp 
by approaching the drowning person from behind. 



120 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

turn upon his back and kick the limb out into the air, 
in which element he can make a more vigorous stroke. 
If this fails, let him support himself in an erect posi- 
tion, by the motions of the hands, until help comes. 
Persons liable to the cramp should never go beyond 
their depth. 

Some bathers are much annoyed, and indeed, perma- 
nently injured, from water getting into their ears. 
This may be prevented by stopping the ears with cot- 
ton saturated with oil. 

I cannot leave this subject without urging on the 
attention of parents and teachers the importance of 
accustoming the girls, as well as the boys, to the water. 
They are of the sex which is to receive aid, and they 
should be taught at least to become so familiar with 
the water as to retain their presence of mind in case 
of accident on the water, to sustain themselves, and to 
swim also if possible. 

MISCELLANEOUS EXERCISES. 

If the teacher will bear in mind that one great ob- 
ject which he has in view, in engaging in and superin- 
tending the sports of his boys, is to afford them inno- 
cent and profitable occupation for hours which are too 
often worse than misspent, he will not think it unim- 
portant to attend, briefly, to 



GYMNASTICS. 121 



ARCHERY. 



If he will assist his young friends, by his advice, in 
preparing bows and arrows, and targets, in making 
rules for practice, and, generally, in giving an impor- 
tance to this exercise by starting and regulating it 
himself, he may easily succeed in making this one of 
the most interesting of the sports of the play-ground. 
The following hints may be of use : — 

Bows are best which are made from seasoned hick 
ory, cedar, ash or elm. Their lengths should be equal 
to the heights of their owners. The string should be 
of linen, whipped with silk at the part where the end 
of the arrow is to be fixed. When strung, the cord of 
a bow five feet long should be five inches from the 
bow, at the silk. 

Arrows are generally made from ash, birch or pine. 
For long ranges they should be about two feet three 
inches in length, for the largest bows. For target prac- 
tice, the arrow should be longer and stouter. Plumed 
arrows are best. It is not difficult to plume an arrow. 
The feathers may be chosen from the smallest goose- 
quills, from the wing-feathers of hens, or from dove- 
feathers. If these are carefully and neatly fastened 
in the end of the arrow, the increased directness of its 
flight will pay for the trouble. 

Targets may be made without instructions. It is 
6 



122 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

best to have two, and to fire from No. 1 at No. 2 till 
the ammunition of all is exhausted ; then seek them 
and fire from No. 2 at No. 1. In this way no one need 
expose himself to being hit, and time is saved in going 
after arrows and returning. 

There are two ways of registering shots : as " best 
shots" and " best average shots." Let 

a shot within the " bull's eye" count ten ; 

" " " 1st circle " seven ; 

" " " 2d " " five; 

" " without " " " three ; 

" " striking on the edge " one. 

Thus, if two boys make a match, and one hits the 
" bull's eye" (ten) and the edge (one) while the other 
hits within the first circle (seven) and within the 
second circle (five) ; the first makes eleven, and the 
second twelve. This seems the fairest way of judging 
of the relative skill of the two marksmen ; for two 
fair shots are better than one very good one and one 
very poor one. 

The distance from target to target may vary from 
thirty to fifty yards, for the larger boys ; from twenty 
to thirty, for the smaller. 

Shoot always with or against the wind ; a side wind 
interferes with the course of the arrow. 

It is suggested that a very pleasing public exhi- 
bition may be made of the proficiency of the boys of a 
school in pedestrianism and archery. Sensible parents 



GYMNASTICS. 123 

will be pleased to see their sons engaged in such 
amusements, rather than herding together for mischief 
and profligacy. 

BOWING. 

Where boating is practicable, the teacher may find 
it desirable to have a boat club. Familiarity with 
boats, skill in rowing and steering them, and confi- 
dence and fearlessness on the water, are attainments 
which it would be well for every boy to make. The 
exercise of rowing is most healthful, especially since it 
is pursued in the fresh, open air. 

The best boats, for six and eight oars, cost, in New 
York, from $150 to $300. A good four-oared wherry 
may be procured for from $75 to $100. But a large, 
flat-bottomed boat, may be procured for fifty dollars ; 
if ornaments and paint are dispensed with, for less. 
These different sums, divided among a club of ten or 
fifteen boys, will not amount to very much for each. 

Instructions in rowing cannot be easily given on 
paper. A few hours' practical teaching from a boat- 
man or sailor will be worth more than pages of theo- 
retical information. 



124 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 



CRICKET. 



This English game, as yet not much played in this 
country, is worthy the attention of the teacher who 
seeks to add to the variety of play-ground exercises. 
It is the most popular of the athletic sports of Eng- 
land, and whether played by experienced hands accord- 
ing to scientific rules, or by a few lads, in a compara- 
tively irregular manner, it is an admirable pastime. 

The best rules for conducting the game, with both 
single and double wicket, with which the writer is 
familiar, are contained in the "Boys' Treasury of 
Sports/ 7 an English work, but which is republished in 
this country. 

FOOT-BALL. 

Strange to say, this excellent game is but little prac- 
tised out of New England, but wherever it is known, 
it is a favorite sport. 

Balls made from India-rubber are cheaper and better 
than the old-fashioned blown bladder, with leather 
case, but the latter is often procurable where the former 
is not. 

In choosing sides, care should be taken that the 
larger boys be equally divided ; upon them depends 
the impetus of strength and weight which frequently 



GYMNASTICS. 125 

"crowds' 7 or "rushes" the ball "to bounds." The 
smaller boys should act as skirmishers, leaving the 
brunt of the game to fall upon the heavy infantry. 

Finally, the teacher may well interest himself in dis- 
covering and reviving old games, and in inventing new 
ones. "Strutt's Ancient Pastimes" contains many 
most amusing and interesting games, some of which 
are deserving of revival. 

We now come to speak of Gymnastics, as exercises 
conducted with the aid of apparatus are commonly 
called. 

GYMNASTICS. 

We will first speak of the simplest forms of appara- 
tus, such as are within the reach of the teacher of 
every village school. 

The Vaulting Bar is the simplest, but one of the 
most useful, of the instruments ordinarily used by 
gymnasts. Upon it a greater variety of exercises may 
be practised than, perhaps, upon any other single 
" contrivance." It is easily constructed ; the teacher 
who has any acquaintance with the use of carpenters' 
tools can make and put one up, with a few hours' 
labor. 

In Plate L, on the left, are seen two of these bars ; 
the details of their construction, together with instruc- 
tions for their use, will be given hereafter. 

On the right of the same plate is seen the Jump- 



126 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

ing Cord. It consists simply of two upright posts, 
firmly planted in the ground, with pegs of iron jutting 
from them at regular intervals, which sustain a cord ; 
this is kept " taut" by the weight of bags of sand, 
fastened to either end. By this contrivance, the 
jumper, if he happens to hit his feet, will not trip, and 
the bags of sand can hurt no one, if the cord is carried 
forward violently by the unlucky or unskillful trip of 
the jumper. It will be seen at a glance that this piece 
of apparatus will cost less even than the Vaulting 
Bar. 

With these two alone very many interesting and 
profitable exercises may be practised ; and the scholars 
will thank their teacher for providing for them these 
simple and inexpensive means of enjoyment. 

If the teacher wishes, he can add the Parallel 
Bars, seen on the right and in front of the plate, at 
but little expense. The upper bars need to be of hard 
pine, and planing is necessary ; but a few dollars will 
cover the cost of them. For details of construction 
and use, see below. 

Now there is not a teacher in the land who cannot 
erect one or all of these three aids to gymnastic exer- 
cises in his yard or play-ground. I wish I could in- 
duce all of them to try the experiment of introducing 
these exercises to their scholars. They would find, I 
am sure, that both their scholars and themselves would 
be profited by them. 



GYMNASTICS. 127 



Description of Plate I. 

The apparatus here illustrated has been planned 
after considerable experience in various gymnasiums — 
experience in erection and practice. The whole is 
designed to be put up out of doors, compactly and 
strongly, and at the least possible expense. But little 
ingenuity is required to adapt the various parts to an 
indoor arrangement, if a suitable room is at the com- 
mand of the teacher. 

There are ten different kinds of apparatus, namely : 

Two Vaulting Bars, Swing, 

Upright Bars, Inclined Board, 

Single Rope, Jumping Cord, 

Ladder, Parallel Bars, 

Rope Rings, Horse. 

These include the principal contrivances of our best 
gymnasiums. Others might be added, but at an ex- 
pense increased beyond the advantages to be gained 
from them. 

The whole expense should come within fifty dollars, 
and if the teacher is mechanically inclined, and will, 
with the assistance of some of his older boys, do most 
of the work himself, it may be made to cost much less. 



128 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

Construction. 

The main frame-work, — which is represented in the 
plate as being put together with hardly enough solid- 
ity and firmness, should consist of two stout posts, with 
a cross-bar. The posts should be deeply set in the 
ground, and may be rendered more firm by stanchions 
in various places. The uprights should be from fifteen 
to eighteen feet in height, and should stand at a dis- 
tance of about twenty-five feet apart. The ladder, by 
being made fast to buried posts at the bottom, and 
screwed by iron clamps to the cross-bar, may be made 
to steady the whole frame-work, and prevent its sway- 
ing toward either side. 

The perpendicular Parallel Bars, (on the left, within,) 
should be made of clear stuff, two inches in diameter, 
round and perfectly smooth, and twenty inches apart ; 
they should be morticed squarely into the cross-bar, to 
prevent turning, and should be secured, in position, 
below, by being made to enter a stout piece of scant- 
ling, buried beneath the surface of the ground. 

The Single Rope, which hangs next to these bars, 
needs hardly any explanation. It should be of a size 
just large enough for convenient grasping. It, as well 
as the other ropes, should be made to work on a hook, 
firmly inserted in the cross-bar, and connecting with it 
by an iron " eye f by constant use, a rope, without 
iron gearing, will soon become so much worn as to be 



GYMNASTICS. 129 

dangerous. The hooks ought to pass through the 
cross-bar, and be secured by " nuts" above. 

The Ladder should be made of hard smooth pine, 
and be most solidly put together. It is the most ex- 
pensive part of the apparatus, and may be dispensed 
with ; and if given up, its place as a support of the 
frame-work may be supplied by a stout, smooth pole. 
There might be two of these poles, one on each side 
of the frame. The ladder should be inclined to the 
frame at an angle of 35° or 40°. It should be two feet 
wide ; rounds should be small and smooth, and placed 
at a distance of fourteen inches apart. All angles and 
corners must be avoided in this and all the other parts 
of the apparatus. 

The Hings of the next contrivance should be made 
of iron, six inches in diameter, and should hang about 
six feet from the ground. They may be covered with 
leather or by a waxed cord, wound evenly around 
them, or may be left, smoothly filed, of plain iron. 

The Bar of the Swing, which comes next, should be 
of hickory, an inch and a quarter in diameter, and two 
feet in length. It should hang on a level with the 
rings. It is intended for the grasp of the hands, from 
beneath, and not as a seat. The ropes of both these 
swings may be shortened by means of knots, made fast 
by pegs. ' 

On the inside of the right-hand upright, holes an 

inch in diameter may be bored, six inches apart, deep 
6* 



130 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

enough to admit stout pegs ; these pegs should project 
far enough to serve as grasps for the hands, and should 
work easily in their holes. Two pegs are required, 
by means of which a strong-armed boy may hoist him- 
self up, peg by peg, to the top, and come down again. 

The Inclined Board should be made of two-inch 
stuff, about eighteen inches wide, and twelve or four- 
teen feet long. It should be planed perfectly smooth 
on the upper side. It is here represented as acting as 
a support to its end of the frame, inclining at an angle 
of 45° ; but, if the frame can be made firm without it, 
it will be well to contrive means by which a less incli- 
nation may be secured. The use of this board is shown 
by the drawing in Plate IY. ; from which it may be 
judged that the less the inclination, thf ->ater will be 
the difficulty of climbing it. The ascent of a smooth 
board, standing perpendicularly, is not impossible. 

The Jumping Cord has been already mentioned. In 
regard to the height and distance apart of the up- 
rights, the teacher may exercise his own judgment. 
At distances of one inch, along the front face of both 
posts, short, smooth iron pegs should be inserted, pro- 
jecting just far enough to sustain the cord, and not to 
interfere with its removal. Of course, the correspond- 
ing pegs of each post should be of the same height ; 
and the distance in inches should be marked on both 
sides. Bags of sand are much better than any other 
weights to keep the cord taut, for, as has been inti- 



GYMNASTICS. 131 

mated, the jumper may catch his toes against the cord, 
dragging it violently along with him, and bystanders 
are in danger of being struck by the flying weights. 

The Parallel Bars (on the right and front) should 
be made of two-inch stuff, of the best clear, hard pine : 
the supports should be well planted, about four feet 
apart (in the length) ; the height of the bars from the 
ground should be about four feet ; they may be ten 
or fifteen feet long, and seventeen inches wide, inside, ; 
the hand-rails should be rounded at the top, and be 
made so wide that the fingers cannot grasp or touch 
beneath. 

The Vaulting Bars (on the left) should be supported 
by well planted uprights ; the bars may be of ash or 
hickory, of two-inch stuff, worked perfectly round and 
smooth ; one end at least should be morticed squarely 
into its upright. The bar nearest the main frame- 
work should be six or six-and-a-half feet high, and six 
feet long ; the lower one may be a foot less in height 
and length. A third bar may be added, if a large 
proportion of the gymnasts are quite small. There 
are ways of arranging the bar so that it may be raised 
and lowered, for persons of different heights ; but 
greater expense would be incurred if such plans were 
adopted, and that at a sacrifice of convenience. Where 
room must be economized, the movable bar is de- 
sirable. 

The Horse — which is not a necessary animal in the 



132 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

play-ground — should be made of a solid beam of well- 
seasoned wood, rounded at the sides, top and ends ; it 
should be five-and-a-half feet long two-and-a-half 
feet in diameter, and the top four feet at least from 
the ground. The legs may be planted in the ground ; 
but if they be made to spread, they need not enter the 
earth, for it will not be easy to overturn it. The 
handles, which represent the front and back of the 
saddle, should be very firmly fastened on ; their shape 
and position are shown in the diagram in Plate IY. ; 
they should be about sixteen inches apart. The seat 
may be padded with leather. 

In the whole construction, the greatest care should 
be taken to have everything made as thoroughly as is 
possible. If accidents ever occur, let the teacher 
never have to blame himself for having been in any 
degree the cause. 

Exercises. 

It seems unnecessary to enter into details of instruc- 
tion on the uses of these ropes and bars. If the more 
important feats of strength and agility are pointed 
out, and the modus operandi explained, the instinct 
which boys have for leaping and climbing will teach 
them all the variety which will be necessary. 

It will be important that the teacher become able to 
take the lead in everything. Precept and example 
must jgo hand in hand, but example, in gymnastics. 



GYMNASTICS. 133 

must be a little in advance. It will not be difficult, it 
is hoped, for a teacher to learn these exercises from 
the following instructions. Let him endeavor to show 
just how to do a particular feat ; his pupils can imi- 
tate an action more easily than they can understand a 
description of it. 

These exercises are designed to give strength to all 
the muscles of the body. It is true that more labor is 
furnished for the arms than the legs, but this is because 
the arms are more important than the legs, at least in 
many respects ; and because, in exercising the arms, 
the chest, which contains the vital organs, is strength- 
ened and expanded. To prove this, it will be inter- 
esting to take the measurement of the circumference of 
the chests of all of the pupils, passing the cord around 
just at the arm-pits, and to notice the gradual expan- 
sion which will be consequent on regular and vigor- 
ous exercises. 

It will be appropriate for the teacher to give his 
class a lecture on the muscular system, and the physical 
necessity of exercise. 

The first thing to be acquired is a good, firm grasp 
of the hand. This will be wanted in every variety of 
exercise. Let us begin, then, by attempting to 
strengthen the muscles of the fingers and hand. The 
parallel bars will give strength to the wrist and fore- 
arm. 

1. Stand within the bars ; grasp them with the thumbs 



134 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

inside, and, with, a slight spring, raise yourself so that 
the arms shall support the body. Try to do this with- 
out a spring, that is, by the mere stiffening of the 
arms. Your arms are not as strong as you thought. 
Now, keep the legs together and stiff at the knees, so 
that the body shall not sway about, and with the arms 
stiff, walk along the bars, stepping slowly, hand after 
hand. 

N. B. — The teacher should allow only one thing at 
a time ; he should forbid fanciful gyrations, and re- 
quire each, in his turn, to perform the particular exer- 
cise which is the subject of the lesson ; after the lesson 
they may do whatever they like. 

As soon as walking forward is learned so well that 
all can walk easily and rapidly, try walking back- 
ward, standing on one hand, changing hands, i. e., 
turning suddenly between the bars, and, before the 
body can fall, so that the feet touch the ground, face 
the other way. It is difficult but not impossible. 

Try now the figures illustrated in Plate II. In 
The Grasshopper, lower the body slowly, drawing 
up the feet if necessary, until the elbows are on a 
level with the ears ; now raise yourself entirely by 
the muscles of the arms. Do this as many times in 
succession as you can. 

In making The L, let your feet be on the ground, 
stoop so that your arms can come outside the bars, 
take a firm grasp, draw up the legs to the position 



GYMNASTICS. 135 

shown in the engraving, and remain so while some 
one counts ten, in seconds, and as much longer as you 
can. 

The first position in Skinning the Cat is the same 
as for The L. The figure on the left illustrates the 
going over ; the one on the right, the coming down. 
At this point do not let go, but, by a backward move- 
ment, turn over again without losing the hold. With 
practice, this may be repeated a dozen times or more. 

While standing on the bars, swing your feet for- 
ward and backward. There is no occasion for fear. 
Swing far enough to turn a somerset, either forward 
or backward, but do not make the somerset ; the 
feet, in coming down, might hit the bars too violently. 
This swinging prepares you for jumping. As the feet 
come forward, from a backward swing, let go with the 
hands, and allow the body to go forward. You may 
thus jump a foot at a time, and, with practice, a yard 
and a-half. Try jumping backward. Practise walk- 
ing, swinging and jumping,, while in the grasshopper 
position. 

The upright parallel bars are for frequent use, from 
the first. Exercise in them tends to strengthen and 
expand the chest. 

Stand with the toes just within the bars ; grasp the 
bars in such a manner that the thumbs and fingers 
shall meet on the side opposite the body, and, in all 
the movements, retain this grasp and position of the 



136 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

hand, if possible. Now lean forward and pass the 
body through the opening, without moving the feet or 
letting the hands slip on the bars. Pass through, if 
you can ; never mind if it almost breaks your shoulder- 
blades. Now come back and repeat the movement. 
G-o through and back with a jerk. This is capital 
exercise. 

These bars, the single rope and the ladder, will give 
various exercises in grasping and in using the muscles 
of the arms. When working on either of these three, 
take care not to use the legs ; keep them stiff and 
straight. Ascend the bars with a grasp on each one, 
leaping up from reach to reach ; or climb one of them, 
without using the knees. It is a difficult, but by no 
means impossible feat, to ascend these bars with the 
head downward. 

The teacher should encourage the invention of all 
kinds of difficulties. He should himself often offer the 
banter, " Do this, if you can I" 

After the class has attained proficiency on the par- 
allel bars, they may be taken to the vaulting bars. I 
will give, briefly, a course of lessons on these. 

1. Grasp the bar with both hands, the thumbs on 
the same side with the fingers, and the back of the 
hand turned from you. Raise the feet, one at a time, 
by bending the knees and hang in that position, as 
long as you can. Try to sustain your weight, in this 
position, with one hand. 



GYMNASTICS. 137 

2. While hanging, move along the bar, backward 
and forward, by passing one hand over the other. 

3. Hang by the hands, with knees straight and stiff, 
and draw up the body, by contracting the muscles 
of the arm, until you can hook the chin over the bar. 
Do this slowly, and repeat it as many times as possible. 
Bare the arms, and notice the effect of this exercise on 
the upper muscle of the arm. Improve on this by 
raising the body so high that the head and shoulders 
shall rise above the bar. 

4. While hanging, draw up the feet slowly, and 
place them against the bar, between the hands ; return 
to the first position, without losing the grasp. Do 
this again, but, this time, let the feet pass through the 
hands, under the bar, and without touching it, and 
come down on the other side, without losing grip. 
After practice and proficiency, pass the feet and legs 
through, but do not let the feet come to the ground ; 
pause a moment, reverse the process and come back to 
the first position. This is called " skinning the cat," 
and is similar to the trick of the same name performed 
on the parallel bars. 

5. Swing on the bar, so high that the feet shall rise 
above the level of the bar, both before and behind. 
Do this fearlessly, for your grip, by this time, will be 
strong enough to keep you from falling. Practice this 
frequently, since it gives confidence. As you swing 



138 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

backward, let go of the bar, and catch it again as yo^ 
come down. 

6. Circling the Bar, is illustrated in Plate III. To 
accomplish it, draw up the body by the muscles of the 
arms, and while doing so, curl the feet over the bar, as 
seen on the figure. Do this by muscle alone, without 
a swing, if possible. When in this position, try to 
bring the feet so far beyond the centre of gravity on 
the other side, as to swing the body over and on the 
bar. Strength, and a certain " knack," are necessary 
to accomplish this feat gracefully and easily. 

7. With a leap, throw one foot over the bar, and 
raise the body by the hands up on the bar. This 
is the " lazy way" of mounting the bar ; the gymnast, 
who takes pride in his strength and skill, will always 
get on by " circling." 

8. The Grasshopper (on this bar) is illustrated in 
Plate III. After mounting the bar, by either of the 
above methods, take a seat on it. Grasp the bar 
firmly, with the thumbs behind, and slowly slide from 
the seat as far as you can without losing the grasp. 
Return to the seat, raising the body by sheer muscle. 
At first, you may not be able to slip down more than 
a few inches, but, by degrees, you may gain strength 
and skill enough to assume the position of the figure in 
the plate. 

9. As the body comes down in doing The Grasshop- 



GYMNASTICS. 139 

per, sustain it by hooking the elbows over the bar ; 
grasp the dress at the thighs, firmly, and swing the 
body to and fro. After a time, you may succeed in 
swinging so well as to revolve around the bar a dozen 
times, or more, in succession. 

10. Yault over the lower or lowest bar, at first with 
two hands, then with one. Go on to the high bar. 

Note. — A " spring-board" is of use in vaulting. It 
consists of a stout hickory or oak plank, an inch and 
a-half thick, firmly secured to, and resting on, two 
pieces of scantling, two or three inches thick. By the 
aid of this, the " knack" in vaulting may be easily ac- 
quired, but it should not be used much by those who 
aspire to become great vaulters. With the spring- 
board, a good vaulter should clear a bar as high as his 
extended arms can grasp ; without it, to clear a bar 
of the height of the vaulter's head, is good work. 

Much attention should be given to vaulting, as it is 
one of the few exercises there are for strengthening 
the muscles of the legs. 

The Swing, (on the right of the frame) is a vault- 
ing bar, which is moveable. It is to be grasped from 
below. To obtain momentum, run at it, swiftly, and 
grasp the bar as you pass under. Of course this bar 
should be so high that one may swing from it without 
being liable to drag the feet against the ground. The 
knees should be bent up to prevent this. Continue 
to swing by a peculiar and almost indescribable exer- 



140 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

tion of the muscles ; the feet must never assist by 
touching the ground. 

While swinging and keeping up the motion, draw 
up the body to " chin the bar," as was done on the 
vaulting bar. Circle this bar in the same way. Let 
the swing be stationary, circle into a seat, come down 
as in " the grasshopper," and swing while hanging by 
the elbows. 

While swinging, reach up and grasp the ropes ; 
ascend and descend these, keeping the swing going all 
the time. 

The Eings are a most important part of the ap- 
paratus. Strength of arm is necessary to use them. 

See that the rings hang on, or a little below the 
level of your upstretched hands ; place them so that 
their diameters shall be opposite to you ; with a run, 
grasp them, and swing as high as possible, without 
ever allowing the feet to touch the ground. The trick 
of swinging by the hands consists, as nearly as can 
be described, in drawing up the body during the 
backward sweep, and, just at the point of turning to 
sweep forward, dropping the body so as to lengthen 
the radius which is describing the arc of a circle. An 
increased force is thus given to the pendulum, and at 
each such lengthening, the length of the arc is increas- 
ed. The demand for strength is great, because, al- 
though one may have muscle enough to draw himself 
up, as described above, for a few times, yet to repeat 



GYMNASTICS. 141 

this long enough to attain the maximum, to describe 
an arc of 160° to 180°, calls for endurance of " mind" 
and muscle, which only the practised gymnast pos- 



Standing in the Rings, as illustrated in Plate III., 
may be learned while the rings are at rest, to be prac- 
tised afterwards, while the swing is in motion. It is 
done with a slight leap upward, and, at the same mo- 
ment, a stiffening of the arms ; but regular gymnasts 
" get in" without a leap, by drawing up the body, and 
then, as it were with a kick against nothing, springing 
up and stiffening the arms. . • 

The Grasshopper in the rings is shown in the 
plate, and needs no explanation. The gymnast should 
become dexterous enough to " get in," or " do the 
Grasshopper," while in full swing, and to change from 
plain to " fancy swinging," frequently and gracefully. 

The Inclined Board, which should be as smooth 
as possible, should not be used with dirty shoes. With 
a wisp of grass, or a rag, rub off all gravel or sand 
from the soles of your shoes, before ascending. The 
illustration explains, perfectly, the method of ascent, 
which is by no means easy. The greater the inclina- 
tion, the greater the difficulty of getting up. The 
writer has seen a perpendicular board ascended and 
descended in this way, but it is hard work. 

There will be no need of giving instructions in the 
use of The Ladder. It may be remarked, however, 



142 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

that its object is mainly to test endurance. The going 
up and down once or twice, and by a round at a time, 
amounts to nothing, but the ascent by two, three, and 
four rounds, and the descent by six or seven, and this 
over and over again— these will try the muscles of the 
strongest. 

At the Jumping Cord there may be leaping " with 
a run," from a spring-board and from the ground. 
The highest leaps may be made with the board, but 
real agility is best displayed by jumping from the 
ground. Begin with the cord at a height which you 
are sure of being able to clear, and advance by a peg 
at a time. 

The Pegs afford a test of strength by no means 
to be despised, even by an experienced gymnast. 
Start with a peg in each hand ; reach up with the 
right and place it in the highest hole you can reach ; 
draw up the body by the right arm and enter the left- 
hand peg ; continue this to the top ; and descend in 
the same way. Ascend by every other hole, or every 
third hole, if you can. 

The Horse is an expensive and not very necessary 
adjunct of our gymnastic apparatus. The illustration 
in Plate IV. shows one feat to be performed with this 
animal. It consists in jumping through one's hands. 
A firm hold is taken of the handles, and the gymnast 
jumps through and back again, without letting go. 
Other methods of performing on this quiet beast are, 



GYMNASTICS. 143 

vaulting into the saddle over his head or tail, or from 
either side ; taking so firm a hold on the handles, as 
to be able to sustain the body at a right angle with 
the arms and parallel with the horizon. 

There are very many other exercises for these various 
ropes and bars which cannot be well described here. 
The teacher will find that his scholars will invent 
novelties every day. On his part he must adopt 
measures to excite and keep up an interest in the ex- 
ercises. A good plan to accomplish this may be to 
recognize the " champions" in each variety of exer- 
cise, and to distinguish them by the insignia of — say, 
a red belt for the best leaper, a black one for the best 
vaulter, and so on. Let these belts, or other distin- 
guishing articles of dress, be worn until some rival 
surpasses the champion and gains it for himself. Take 
care that the smaller boys be not shut out from com- 
petition ; they should be allowed to gain champion- 
ships in exercises which are within their powers. 







PLATE 11. 




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1 


1 

i 

1 


The Grasshopper. No J. 

r -"■ ' T7 ~x r-, ■ 




MIMIral 


ill 




1 



The L 



Skinnine* Hie Cat. 



PLATE 11. 1 


« 






~~JZ~- 


> — /J 


. . II 




1 ~\) 




The Grasshopper. No 1 


Li- 


t gt^r i 


["" 


The L. 




■ -•- ,f -iv\ - — tt- r.;v= 


1. 




Skinning* the Cat. 



jWW W— 



SCHOOL MANAGEMENT. 



We have thus far considered some of the ways and 
means for making the play-ground attractive and pro- 
fitable ; let us now come within the school-house. 
Much may be done here to carry out our design of 
" making school interesting" ; and the teacher who un- 
dertakes and carries into effect the following or 
other plans for making his rooms cheerful and comfort- 
able, and his daily exercise interesting, even sometimes 
amusing as well as instructive, will find his reward in 
his increased pleasure in teaching those whom he has 
caused to love as well as respect him, and in his suc- 
cess in accomplishing good — to say nothing of his 
growing popularity and more remunerative gains. 

I have headed this section of my book " School 
management" and for a reason. I may illustrate the 
appreciation which is prevailing among latter-day 
teachers, of the idea contained in the italicized word, 
by telling a story, one which may be already well 
known, but which will bear repetition for its illustra- 
tive properties. 

7 D45J 



146 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

A farmer's boy was required, one pleasant spring 
day, to gather the stones which lay in a meadow and 
heap them together in the corner of a lot. They would 
be troublesome to the mowers, the farmer thought, 
and they disfigured his otherwise smooth " medder." 
The stones were quite numerous, and the task was 
no small one, but the boy began his labor cheerfully ; 
he knew there was reason for the clearing, and, for 
awhile, he worked vigorously. But his back.began to 
ache before long, and the merry shouts of some mates 
of his, who were playing not far off, on " the village 
green," began to annoy him. He was a Yankee boy, 
we may be sure, for his inventive brain soon devised 
a plan for saving labor and gaining time. He raised 
an old post in the corner in which his stone-heap was 
to be, and then left work and joined his friends. At 
a convenient moment, he threw a stone at a neighbor- 
ing tree. " Who can beat that ?" said he, as Fortune 
favored him, and his stone struck the mark. Imme- 
diately the others were aiming and hurling stones at 
the tree. But stones were not plentiful. " Come," 
said the young Yankee, " there are lots of stones over 
in our meadow ; let's go over there and fire at a 
mark." 

They were soon there ; ammunition was abundant ; 
the post in the corner was an inviting " mark," and 
by the time the boys had become wearied of this kind 
of sport, a large part of the work was done. The in- 



MANAGEMENT. 147 

ventor then confessed his trick, and there needed but 
little urging to induce his friends to finish the " stent," 
and then all went off together to play at something 
else. 

There are many points in this illustration which are 
worthy of study, and, making it a kind of text, we may 
notice that : 1st. There is work to "be done in a school- 
room. The mental muscles are to be strengthened, 
and mental dexterity gained. The teacher's object is 
to educate and instruct his pupils, and to accomplish 
this he must make them work. To clear the meadow, 
a certain amount of actual hard work, and, in itself 
considered, of tiresome and unpleasant work, was 
necessary. Now, shall the teacher require of his 
scholars that they labor at the dull task of removing 
the stones to the pile, or shall he contrive some way 
whereby the labor shall be performed, yet be disguised 
as play? While the boy toiled slowly at his task 
alone, each stone grew heavier than the last, his back 
ached, and he thought more of that and of the distant 
shouts of his play-mates, and of how to " shirk" the 
work, than of the improvement which he knew he was 
making and the pleasure he was giving to his father. 
But when his comrades were around him, and the 
stones were flying, he forgot the task in the sport, he 
worked harder than he would have done and accom- 
plished more in a given time than he would have done 
alone, and there was pleasure in the business. 



148 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

2d. The boys who came to "-fire at a mark" could 
not have been persuaded, probably, to come to help 
their friend gather stones inj;o a heap. They were 
deceived ; they went cheerfully to work without sus- 
pecting it to be work, and all worked harder than they 
could have been induced to work if they had entered 
on it as a task. 

3d. Similar deception is not only justifiable but 
expedient on the part of a teacher in his school. He 
can and he ought to remove from school-duties their 
character of dreary drudgery, to make study pleasant 
and attractive. He need not make the labor less ; in 
fact he will find, most surely, that his scholars will do 
more and work longer when work is made play, than 
when work is left mere work ; and he may so lighten 
the hours that they shall fly by pleasantly and profit- 
ably, both to himself and to them. 

4th. When the farmer's boy threw stones at a mark, 
" for fun," he worked harder than he did before. Boys 
always run farther and faster when playing than they 
can be easily induced to run on an errand. The mo- 
tive makes the difference. And, in another view, labor 
is lightened when amusement takes off the attention 
from the task, as such. Sailors work better at the 
capstan with a " Cheerily !" — the heavy anchor comes 
up more easily and sooner, and the men the sooner get 
at some other duties. Soldiers march better, and fight 
better, when they hear the music of their band. And 



MANAGEMENT. 149 

it is so with the boys in school. If a certain lesson, 
which, under one system of teaching, would be yawned 
over, and would require an hour's dull work to be 
learned, can be made an interesting, pleasing occupa- 
tion, entered upon cheerfully and accomplished ener- 
getically and in half an hour, time may be saved for 
other duties, or for play ; and not only this, but the 
manner of accomplishing the task will have been such 
that the mind may have grown vigorous and healthy, 
instead of idle and morbidly languid. 
5th. This is " School management." 

THE SCHOOL ROOM. 

It is very pleasant to go through many of our mo- 
dern school-rooms and notice the care which has been 
taken to make everything comfortable and cheerful. 
The light has been so arranged that the eye is neither 
dazzled by glare or wearied by gloom : ventilation 
has been secured in proper kind and degree, so that 
headache cannot often be complained of there : the 
desks are adapted in height to the size of the sitter, 
and the chairs have comfortable backs ; pictures are 
on the walls, an attractive library is accessible, and the 
polished brass and glass, in the case of apparatus, add 
to the general effect. Would that all school-rooms 
were comfortable and cheerful ! Yet where they are 
not, much can be done to improve them, and this with 



150 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

but little expense. Even if hard benches and incon- 
venient desks are the furniture of four bare walls, 
there may be something done to make the place seem 
comfortable and cheerful, if actual improvement is 
impossible. 

Let us suppose the worst case possible — possible, I 
mean, now-a-days, and try to improve it. 

1st. Arrange the desks and seats in some way, so 
that each pupil can find support for his back and rest 
for his feet. It need hardly be supposed that this is 
impossible. 

2d. " Tinker" the window-frames, so as to be able to 
lower the upper sash a few inches. Get calico curtains, 
if there are no blinds ; they will cost about ten cents 
each. 

3d. Cover all holes and ink-spots in the wall with 
white paper, neatly pasted on ; but cover up no dirt 
which can be washed off. Let the floor be clean and 
the windows clear. 

4th. Tack engravings on the walls, the best you can 
find ; wood-cuts, from newspapers, are better than noth- 
ing. Inland boys like ships and steamers, and sea- 
scenes generally, while boys who live near the coast 
prefer hunting scenes, and rocks and woods. Maps of 
the country, the state, the county, town, ward, and 
block, are desirable. 

5th. On the ceiling, draw neatly — in charcoal, if you 
can do no better — the solar system. Make the sun in 



MANAGEMENT. 151 

red chalk ; give the planets their relative size and or- 
bits ; let a bushy, red-tailed comet enliven the sketch. 
On the side wall draw a long black line, five and a-half 
yards long, to represent a rod ; divide the line into 
yards, one of the yards into feet, and one of the feet 
into inches. In various spaces, otherwise unoccupied, 
draw, distinctly, a square yard, a square foot, a cubic 
foot, an equilateral triangle, and other similar outlines. 
Let the walls be covered with instruction and amuse- 
ment for the eye. At first, these figures will attract 
attention from studies ; but in a few days the novelty 
will have worn off, and although they may attract, they 
will not distract. 

What a change comes over the dreary old room! 
What a change over the scholars ! 

Taste, and a little painstaking, can beautify a log- 
cabin ; and if the teacher will exercise these, and if 
he can also afford money, or get it from the authorities,, 
he may make his rooms seem a second home to his 
pupils, pleasanter than home, perhaps, to a few. What 
then ? His monthly pay or quarterly income may not 
be at once increased ; but he is adding to his capital, 
which is reputation and popularity ; and if he gains 
nothing in this respect — which is not justly supposable 
— he at least gains self-satisfaction and the affection 
of his scholars, without which there is no pleasure in 
teaching. 

There are many Utile matters which affect the success 



152 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS, 

of a teacher's daily duties. Is the black-board warped, 
and cracked and scratched ? Take it down, screw a 
" cleet" on the back, putty up the crack, and paint it 
black again. There is no expenditure here of anything 
but a little labor, except for the paint, and that may 
be made trifling if a few cents' worth of lampblack, a 
little camphine, a flannel rag and ingenuity are used. 
Perhaps the chalk is " scratchy." Buy some crayons, 
if you can ; if not, make them. Your boys will help 
you ; and, in a few hours, at an expense of half-a-dollar, 
you can make enough to last for a whole term, and the 
improvement will pay you for your trouble.* Have a 
ledge on the bottom of the black-board, to catch the 
falling chalk-dust, and to hold "the cleaner." The 
cleaner may be a stick, two inches square and six or 
eight long, wrapped around with canton flannel, or 
plain cotton. 

But there is no need of spending more time and space 
on these things. These improvements on the black- 
board and its concomitants, may serve as examples of 
many things in which a little pains may effect much. 
The teacher must oil the little wheels of his machinery, 
if he would have it all move smoothly. 



* Recipe : Knead some plaster of Paris with just enough water to 
make it a stiff paste ; roll this on a table ; cut it into long strips, four 
inches wide ; with a table-knife divide these into sticks a little larger 
than your finger ; leave them to dry, and keep them dry. 



MANAGEMENT. 153 

ORDER AND METHOD. 

Few words are needed under this caption ; for order 
and method are so necessary in a school-room, that 
there can be but few teachers who have not learned 
their necessity, and how to secure their good effects. 
I will only give a few hints which may be of service to 
some reader. 

A clock seems to be an indispensability of a school- 
room ; but if none can be had, the teacher's watch 
should regulate every exercise. Let every class, or 
single recitation, have its particular portion of time. 
Let an order of exercises, or programme, be prepared, 
a copy of which, written in conspicuous letters, should 
hang where all can see it. Never let one recitation en- 
croach on the time of another ; ask the first question 
just as the long pointer indicates that the exact time 
has arrived. Habits of punctuality and promptness are 
of the utmost importance in school-teaching. 

Unless a school is made up of very heterogeneous 
materials, all, or very nearly all, may be united in some 
one study. Select the recitation in which the greatest 
number join, for your first morning recitation, and call 
the class immediately after opening school. This will 
require some study out of school, for most of the class, 
and in this way you may secure such study, if you wish 
to do so. 

It is advised to make the morning session longer 



154 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

than that of the afternoon, and to occupy it with all 
the recitations of the mathematics, and with the smaller 
classes in other studies, so that the afternoons may 
afford time for the less serious labor, and for general 
exercises in which all may engage. The last half-hour 
of the day should be spent in such a way that the close 
of school shall not seem a release from a prison, as is 
too often the case. Send them away smiling, in good 
humour with the school, the teacher, and themselves. 
If nothing more profitable can be found to be done, 
tell or read a story. Suggestions concerning various 
" general exercises " will be given hereafter. 

ADMINISTRATION. 

I think I hear some teacher-reader say : " Now you 
have reached a subject I am interested in. Arrange- 
ments of classes and mending of black-boards are easily 
enough cared for ; but tell me how to govern my school. 
These unruly boys won't let me ' make school interest- 
ing ;' they so try my patience and occupy my time, 
that I have neither heart nor leisure to attend to minor 
affairs." 

The subject is, indeed, one of the most important 
which can engage our attention as teachers. It is one 
which calls for experience and judgment on the part 
of those who discuss it, and had I only theories to offer, 
or merely my oivn practice to recommend, I should not 



MANAGEMENT. 155 

venture to ask the attention of my fellow-teachers. I 
am about to submit, in theory and practice, a scheme 
of school-administration which has the sanction of some 
of. the most experienced and most successful teachers 
of New England, and I may ask for it the serious at- 
tention of my readers. 

Principles. 

1. Every boy or girl, in schools not "primary," has 
a school-conscience, which decides on all actions contem- 
plated or begun. Every misdemeanor is known as 
such, and is denounced as such, by this conscience, and 
no set of rules, however full and explicit, can be pre- 
sumed to be of any real assistance to it. 

Moreover, the child knows full well that the teacher's 
conscience is the same with his own. The boy, about 
to commit an action, concerning which there has even 
the least warning been given by his inward monitor, 
keeps one eye on the teacher, and when he discovers 
that he is observed, he stops. Good boys rarely look 
off from their books ; bad boys, usually watch the 
teacher. 

One rule only, then, need be made, viz. : "Do nothing 
which your school-conscience tells you is wrong" This 
covers the whole ground, and no other rule or furlong 
of rules, can. 

Of course, this conscience may be depraved, but it is 



156 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

never entirely seared. It may be educated, and made 
to appreciate the law. The child's heart, too, may be 
influenced to love the school and the teacher, and it 
may help the conscience to become strict to warn 
against actions which are likely to grieve the teacher, 
or interfere with his wise and kind guidance of the 
school. 

With a belief in the truth of these premises, the 
teacher must be convinced that it is better to make 
this " school-conscience/ 7 rather than either mere fear 
or mere love, the moving power of his machine of 
government. 

2. To govern as little, and teach as much, as is pos- 
sible, should be the aim of every true teacher. 

Is it not true that in many, too many schools, there 
is more of government than of teaching ? The atten- 
tion of the teacher is taken from the class, which may 
be reciting to him, by a few bad scholars, who, taking 
advantage of his occupation, are playing at their remote 
desks; he stops to scold or punish them, and thus neglects 
his class. Scolding John for making faces makes a de- 
cided interference with the teacher's appreciation of 
the process of a problem in arithmetic or demonstra- 
tion in geometry. If he can contrive any way by 
which he may deliver himself from this distraction, he 
may save time and temper for teaching. In duty to 
himself and his scholars, he ought to contrive or adopt 
some plan to effect this. 



MANAGEMENT. 157 

It is claimed that the scheme of silently giving " a 
mark" for misconduct, as explained, in process and 
results, below, will enable the teacher to teach more 
and govern less. 

3. The maximum of marks, under this plan, results 
in expulsion from school. We will suppose that this 
maximum is ten ; that for ten acts of real misconduct 
"on the part of a scholar, as many " black marks" have 
been publicly accumulating against his name ; that, of 
course, he has known to what result the path of mis- 
conduct was leading him ; that he has been privately 
and kindly warned by the teacher ; that his parents 
have been told of his position ; that, in spite of all, he 
has deliberately gone on from the eighth to the ninth, 
and lastly to the tenth mark, and then has been expel- 
led. Is such expulsion just? Would it have been 
better to have punished or suspended him ? Could he 
have been reached by any influence ? 

In answer to the last question, I claim that although 
some way might have been contrived by which he 
might have been reclaimed, yet the teacher, with 
duties owed to every other scholar as much as to this 
one, cannot be required or expected to sacrifice their 
interests to his. All possible exterior influences we 
have supposed exerted for his reformation ; and the 
question becomes, simply, ought. the teacher to take 
time from the good boys and bestow it on this bad one. 

Such expulsion would be just. The good of the 



158 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

whole school demands the removal of a scholar who 
will deliberately expose himself to such a result, in the 
face of warnings. 

The Committee appointed by Congress to attend the 
recent examination at West Point, use language in 
their report which bears directly on the subject we are 
examining. They say that "they are satisfied that 
' suspending' or ' turning back' a cadet for excessive 
demerit, is a pernicious rule for the Academy. If a 
cadet, with the full knowledge of the penalty attached 
to excessive demerit, continues to neglect his duty until 
he exceeds the prescribed limit, he is not only an un- 
worthy subject for the Academy, but his example and 
influence becomes injurious to others, and he should 
be dismissed. Suspension and turning are half-way 
places, into which many are tempted to retreat. The 
interests of the institution demand summary dismissal." 

I admit that it is neither necessary nor wise to make 
a boys' school as strict in discipline as is the Academy 
at West Point. There expulsion is not infrequent ; in 
a school it may be very rare. But the principle is the 
same in both, and that is, that there are in all societies 
of men or boys, occasional instances of reckless, obsti- 
nate persistence in ill-doing, the relief for which must 
be the removal of the offender. 

I am arguing for the right and justice of removal in 
certain cases. In reality, however, these cases are of 
most rare occurrence. In three large schools, conduct- 



MANAGEMENT. 159 

ed under this system, with whose history I have been 
connected or acquainted for several years, I have 
known of only three cases of expulsion. A boy who 
finds himself on the road to disgrace, and approaching 
the terminus, will strive to turn back, at least at the 
last turning point. And the system offers him aid 
just at this point, as will be explained below. If he 
will exert himself in study so much as to attain a high 
standing for one week, his success may remove one of 
his " marks ;" and, if it be not too late in the term, he 
may go on and secure the erasure of all or most of 
them. This is safe, for the reason that a boy who 
studies hard, will have little time for play ; and it is 
just, because thus, help is offered to one who wishes to 
help himself. 

4. It is right to take pleasure, and reasonable to take 
pride in good standing, when it is the result of good 
conduct. 

The man who, by his own exertions, has raised his 
standing in social life, by labor, either of hands or 
head, is respected by his fellows, and takes an honest 
and reasonable pride in his success. 

School is a small world. Boys and girls are only 
little men and women. Some are influenced by a 
noble regard for the right, and a dislike for the wrong; 
but these are in minority. A large majority of schol' 
ars will be found most easily influenced by appeals to 
their pride. 



160 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

Such appeals are made, under this system, by means 
of " the roll," and the published schemes of relative 
standing. The West Point plan is adopted of making 
public a list of the scholars' names, arranged in order 
of merit. 

Such are the principles on which a teacher of emi- 
nent success, whose memory is cherished by the hun- 
dreds who were taught by him, founded this system of 
school government. 

In another chapter will be found some of the " re- 
sults" of the workings of this plan. 

Application of Principles. 

At the beginning of establishing this plan I would 
talk kindly with my pupils, giving them, with illustra- 
tions, some of the main points of the foregoing princi- 
ples. I would tell them that I intended to be a school- 
teacher, not a school-master. I would make this illus- 
tration : — 

" Suppose that I am hearing a recitation in arith- 
metic, and one of the boys is solving and explaining a 
problem on the black-board. I must watch the pro- 
cess closely to know just what he is doing, to see if he 
has well learned his lesson, or to help him by some 
suggestions, if the case is a difficult one. Suppose, 
now, that while I am thus thoroughly occupied, John 
Smith, over there in the back seat, seeing that my atten- 



MANAGEMENT. 161 

tion is engaged, takes advantage of it to throw beans 
at his neighbors. He stops studying himself and pre- 
vents others studying. But I happen, just in the very 
middle of the problem, to see him. Well : I stop the 
boy at the black-board, make the whole class wait, 
speak up loudly and crossly (for I am a little vexed) 
and make the whole school look up from their books, 
while I scold John, or perhaps call him to my desk 
to ferule him. John goes back determined to shoot 
beans as often as he can and dare ; we go on with 
the arithmetic, and in the course of ten minutes, the 
waters are calm again. 

" Now there may be, very likely, some other John 
Smiths in the school. Well ; in the course of the day, 
my attention is taken off from teaching, which is my 
business, and the whole school taken from studying, 
which is your business, by some half-dozen such stop- 
pings to scold or punish the John Smiths ; we will 
suppose six times, and six times ten are sixty — sixty 
minutes lost to all of us by stopping to scold. But 
besides this stopping, I must be continually on the 
watch, to prevent mischievousness, and. since neither 
I nor anybody else can do two things well at a time, 
I must either watch well, and teach poorly, or teach 
well and let John Smith play as much as he likes. 
Now there is a fine class in arithmetic, and they have 
a hard but interesting lesson, and they wanted to 
hear my explanations, so that those hard sums in 



162 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

to-morrow's lesson might be made easier ; but John 
Smith has cheated them out of them, for almost the 
whole time of the recitation has been occupied in 
scolding him, and, as other classes are waiting, they 
have to go back to their seats uninstructed. 

" Now it seems to me, boys, that it is unfair to the 
arithmetic boys, and unfair to the whole school, that I 
should devote so much time to scolding and so little 
to teaching. Besides it makes me cross to scold ; I 
don't like to scold and be cross. If I have to scold 
and punish often and continually, just think what a 
life I shall lead, and what an ill-natured old fellow 
I shall become. I shall not do so. If that's what 
teaching is, I'll give it up and be a blacksmith. No ; 
I have a better plan. You see this roll I have in my 
hand. I've got all your names written on it in alpha- 
betical order, and opposite the names are little blanks 
which are to be filled up during the term. Now when 
I see a boy doing what he and you and I all know to 
be wrong, I shall not stop to scold, but I shall take 
down this roll and place a little black mark opposite 
his name. It will take only a minute, and then I shall 
go on with my class. Some of the boys, they who are 
bending over their books, won't know that anything 
has been going on ; no disturbance will have been 
made, and hardly any time lost. But that boy will 
know it well ; he will see me put down a mark next 
to somebody's name — for I have noticed that boys in 



MANAGEMENT. 163 

mischief always keep one eye on the teacher ; this is so 
universally true, that when I see a boy looking at me 
instead of his books, I always suspect some mischief 
going on — and as he knows he has been doing wrong, 
he is pretty sure the mark is for him. At recess, or 
when school is out, he takes a sly look at the roll 
and there he sees the mark. If I was mistaken and he 
was innocent — and this not infrequently happens — he 
comes to me to inquire about it ; he explains away his 
mark, and I remove it. But if he is guilty, he takes 
his sly look, passes on and says nothing ; he knows he 
deserves it. 

" Now when a boy gets five of these marks, I take 
time some afternoon or evening, and call to see his 
parents. I tell them how he got his marks, and that 
he knew Il^ould tell them if he received five, but that 
in spite of my warnings, he went on. I tell them that 
if he gets five more, I shall ask them to take him away 
from the school, for I don't want any boys here who 
will go on deliberately and do wrong ten times, when 
they know the consequences ; and I add that I shall 
not take him back again. It seems hard, and perhaps 
the parents scold about it and say that their son is as 
good a boy as others ; but I am firm, and refuse to 
take him back. 

" The result is, that the rest of the school sees that 
' marks' mean something, and they are careful not to 



164 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

get them, careful not to do wrong ; and so our school 
is orderly and you study and I teach. 

" Most likely you will all learn the meaning of marks 
without our having to lose some John Smith. I don't 
expect to have to send any boy away ; I certainly 
hope not to. 

" What do you think of this plan, boys ? Which plan 
do you like best ? the scolding plan, or the marking 
plan, (I take a vote.) Be sure you mean to adopt it as 
our plan. If any boy thinks he can't come in under 
such an arrangement, he had better talk about it to 
his parents, and get them to send him to some other 
school. I want to have you all tell them of the plan. 
It is something new, and they ought to know all 
about it. Every boy that comes to school to-morrow 
morning, I shall consider as having made up his own 
mind, and obtained his parent's consent, to remain 
under this plan of governing by marks. You may be 
sure that I have thought carefully of it, and am so 
sure that it is the best plan, that I shall teach under 
no other. If my school is small, I shall feel that I 
had rather teach twenty in this way, than scold fifty 
or a hundred. 

" But there is a way of getting off these marks that 
you must understand. I will explain it. 

" Every boy will have at least three recitations every 
day. At each of the classes I shall keep a book by me, 



MANAGEMENT. 165 

and if a boy recites well, really ivell, in fact perfectly, 
I shall give him ' four ;' if not quite perfectly, ' three ;' 
if only tolerably, ■ two ;' if badly, ' one ;' and if not at 
all, or absent without excuse, I shall give 'naught.' 
Now if a boy gets ■ four' at each of his three recita- 
tions, that will make twelve for the day, and if he does 
so all the week — five days — he will get five times 
twelve, which is sixty. Understand ; a boy who re- 
cites perfectly all the week will get sixty ; one who 
doesn't do quite as well may get fifty or fifty-five, and 
so the numbers will vary from sixty down to forty, 
thirty, twenty, and perhaps down to ten. 

" Every Saturday I shall add up each boy's numbers 
for the week, and write the total out, in the blank for 
that week, opposite his name ; so that on Monday 
morning he may see just how well he stood for the last 
week. Then at the end of the term I shall add up the 
total of the weeks. If there are ten weeks, and a boy 
gets ' four' at every lesson, that is sixty every week, 
he will get six hundred for his grand total. Some 
will get this, and the total will vary from the highest 
number, all the way down to one or two hundred. 
Then I shall print on a little sheet of paper a list of 
your names, with the six hundreds at the top, the next 
highest next, and so on, with the ' dunce ' or bad boy, 
who could study but wouldn't, at the very fag end. 
These sheets I shall send to your parents, and show 
them all around town. Who wants to be at the little 



166 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

end ! (It may be added to this that a yearly cata- 
logue will be published, in which the names will be 
arranged in the order of the totals for the terms.) 

" Do you understand this system of marking for reci- 
tations ? Well ; if a boy has a bad mark one week, 
he may get it off by studying hard enough and reciting 
well enough the next week to get sixty. I do this 
because I know that if he studies hard enough to do 
that, he won't have any time to be in mischief, and 
because I shall see that he is trying to reform himself ; 
and that I always want to encourage. 

" Now, boys, you have heard my whole plan of school 
government. Think of it and talk about it at home, 
and come to school to-morrow prepared to go to work 
under it." 

Such, fellow-teachers, is the sum and substance of 
this system. There are no " rules f these are not even 
alluded to ; but every scholar understands that he is 
to obey his own " school-conscience." Of course the 
teacher will do well to define his own ideas of the 
behavior appropriate to the school-room, and he may 
do this without ordaining any other rule than the one 
given under the subject of "Principles." It has at 
least the merit of being easily understood and easily 
applied. It has many others, I think, which will be 
more obvious when I have spoken of the results. It 
is based on the principles above-mentioned ; if they 
are just, this system must be. 



MANAGEMENT. 167 

Results. 

1. At the inauguration of such a system, no little 
trouble may be experienced. Boys who have been 
accustomed to a scolding or punishment directly upon 
detection in wrong conduct, as they find that the 
teacher does nothing beyond making a mark against 
their names, will be apt to think that "marks" are of 
little consequence, and that they are at liberty to do 
as they please. 

But the teacher will need to say to his school (not 
individuals) that he fears that on Saturday he shall 
have quite a number of calls to make. This, in many 
cases, will produce the desired effect ; but he will, for 
the first two or three weeks, have occasion to see the 
parents of many of his scholars. He will be glad of 
these occasion's ; there will be opportunities for him 
to explain his system. Of course he will tell them 
that no very serious misconduct has occurred, and 
that if they will aid him with their influence, none 
need be apprehended. In all probability, marks will 
decrease after these visits. In some cases they may 
run up to seven, eight, or nine, but he can control the 
matter then by speaking very kindly but as firmly to 
individuals, and perhaps to their parents again. 

He will find that the appearance of the roll on the 
first Monday morning will aid him essentially. The 
idle and mischievous boys of course stand lowest ; 



168 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

they see their positions ; and especially if a scheme is 
prepared of their relative standing, and they find 
themselves near the bottom of the list, they will be 
prompted to study harder, and thus will be too much 
occupied to be in mischief. 

The teacher will do well also to bring in as many 
" general exercises" as possible, to fill up time. He 
will also commence his plans of out-door amusement, 
and show himself in these, and in every way, disposed 
to make school pleasant, so that all shall fear to be 
sent away. If he has commenced the formation of a 
company, he may say that only school-boys can belong ; 
that if a boy is sent away from school, he cannot 
remain in the company. By these means it will be 
strange if he does not succeed in establishing the sys- 
tem and when it is firmly established he will have 
little trouble in carrying it on. 

2. The teacher may meet with opposition from 
parents. Let him have called on all who are likely to 
feel the halter draw, and so have a poor opinion of the 
law, before trouble comes on. He will find parents 
willing listeners, and if he states the case fully and 
fairly, he will undoubtedly convince them of the ex- 
cellence of the plan. If any are opposed, talk over the 
plan very carefully, compare the old and new systems, 
quote authority, do everything possible to convince, 
and then if they oppose, advise them to remove their 
children and keep them away until they can see the 



MANAGEMENT. 169 

effects of the plan. Removals will be very few, for the 
boys themselves will wish to remain. The teacher 
may lose a few scholars at first, and some may be sent 
away, but, in the end, he will have no occasion to re- 
gret the adoption of the plan. In recent experience I 
have met opposition from influential sources, but I have 
built up a school larger and more profitable than any 
previous school in that city ; and I may challenge 
comparisons in respect to orderly behaviour with any 
school in the land. This result was the more gratify- 
ing for the reason that I began with most unpromising 
materials. 

3. The scholars will certainly approve the plan. 
Children weary of continual reproof. Besides this, 
they see the workings of a plan, and influences can 
easily be brought to bear to make them understand 
that their individual cooperation is necessary ; and 
they will be pleased to aid in making " our school" a 
good one and a pleasant one. Throwing the govern- 
ment of the school on their shoulders, making them 
control themselves under the plan which applies to all, 
and of which the teacher does little more than register 
the results — this will interest them. I speak from 
experience. 

4. To sum up the results, the teacher will find that 
he has more time to teach, better nature to teach with, 
fewer cases of discipline, and more complete success, than 
he could have under " the scolding plan." 



170 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

Whispering. 

A shoal over which I wish to place a buoy, to pre- 
vent running a-ground while sailing under these orders, 
is — Communicating in studying hours. How much 
trouble has this matter given teachers ! 

It may be set down as a truth that communication 
cannot be entirely prevented. Even the best scholars 
will occasionally whisper. They do not intend to 
violate law, but they " can't help it." 

It becomes a question, then. How can we prevent 
it as much as possible ? I answer : 

1. By convincing the scholars of the injurious effects 
( of communication on themselves, individually, and on 
the whole school. This may be done by frankly re- 
viewing, with them, the results of allowing free com- 
munication, and discussing plans for avoiding such re- 
sults. They can be made to understand how that 
whispering, by leading to talking, and that to playing, 
is at the foundation of general disorder, by a story 
like this : 

" Holland, you know, is a very low and flat country. 
Much of it is below the level of the sea. Were it not 
for the extensive embankments which have been built 
by that industrious people to keep out the sea, the 
whole country would be only a vast salt marsh. In- 
stead of roads they have canals. These are very 
easily built, and are supplied with water from the sea, 



MANAGEMENT. 171 

which is let in through great wooden gates, built in 
the embankments. In spite of all their care, inunda- 
tions sometimes happen, which do immense damage. 
When the tide is high, the water dashes against these 
sand-banks ; and although at first only a little breach 
is made, yet the loose sand gives way by degrees, un- 
til, occasionally, it works a passage, and pours in with 
resistless fury, washing everything before it — houses, 
cattle, people and all. They prevent such deplorable 
accidents only by great care in watching for the first 
appearance of a break, and immediately stopping 
it up. 

" One night, a little Hollander, about six years old, 
was coming home very late. He had been away for 
the doctor, for his mother was sick. As he was pass- 
ing along near one of the embankments, he heard the 
trickling of water. It was so dark that he had to 
hunt around for some time before he found it, but at 
last he discovered that between the side of one of the 
gates and the bank, there was a little hole worn, 
through which the water was trickling in quite a 
stream. He was a little fellow, but he was wise 
enough to know that if the water was left to run 
long, it might soon wear a larger hole, and very likely 
burst through in a regular inundation before morning. 
He tried to stop the hole with sand and little sticks, 
but the water still trickled through ; he couldn't find 
anything, in the dark, which would stop it ; so what 



172 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

did he do ? He thrust in his little fist, and that 
stopped the water effectually. 

"But after awhile he began to grow sleepy and 
chilly. He wanted to take his hand out, for his arm 
ached, and he thought of home and his warm bed. 
But, like a little hero as he was, he stood to his post. 
His head nodded, and he almost got to sleep ; but the 
thought that he was saving so much danger and 
trouble to his own family and the whole village, and 
perhaps the whole country, gave him strength, and he 
stood to his post ! 

" In the morning, very early, his friends and neigh- 
bors, who had started out to look for him, found him 
nodding and shivering at the gate, but still at his 
post. You may well believe that they were delighted 
with the prudence and bravery of the little fellow. 
And it was not long before the whole country heard 
of it, even the king himself, who ordered a monument 
to be erected to his honor, and, on the top of it, a 
marble statue of the little hero. 

" Now, boys, let's find the moral of this good story. 
The inundation of disorder in a school generally 
trickles through a little whispering hole that each of 
you have, just under your noses. And that boy who 
really wishes to do his part in preventing the pouring 
in of a whole sea of talking and laughing and playing, 
will do his best to stop up the whispering hole. In 
other schools that you have been at, haven't you ob- 



MANAGEMENT. 173 

served that if the boys were allowed to whisper as 
much as they pleased, they generally went farther, and 
became very disorderly? Now, I know that it is 
rather hard not to whisper, if you have been in the 
habit of it, but are you not willing to try to abstain ? 
Very soon you will get used to being silent, and it 
will be easy to do so ; you won't think of it at all. 

" Boys, you know that I am something of a boy my- 
self, I like play about as well as any of you, and I 
believe in playing, and playing hard, and having real 
' fun, but only in play-hours. Just think a moment. 
You play until nine o'clock, and then for only an hour 
and a-half — only ninety little minutes, you are in 
school ; then comes a recess, full of play ; then 
another ninety minutes, and a noon-time, for play ; 
and it's just so in the afternoon. Now am I not rea- 
sonable in asking you to abstain from whispering — - 
which leads to playing — for only an hour and a-half 
at a time ? Am I not reasonable ?" 

A talk like that will convince a large majority. 
For the remainder we must have 

2. Some arrangement like that of short recesses of 
five minutes, every half hour, for whispering, without 
leaving seats, or, at least, forms. Get all to agree to 
this, to promise on their honor, not to whisper during 
study hours, if you will give them these recesses. But 
you must control stubborn cases by 

3. Marking for whispering, on the ground that al- 



174 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

though whispering, in itself, is not a great offence, yet 
because it leads to worse conduct, because almost all 
wish to join with you in breaking up the habit, and 
because the short recesses afford all necessary time for 
it, it must be regarded as a markable offence. 

I have in this way procured a state of things in my 
school which was gratifying and a source of pride. 

EEPUBLICANISM. 

Under the system which has been advocated there 
is, perhaps, as little of the form of government as is 
possible ; but the spirit in which this little is to be 
administered may be either monarchical or republican, 
or, better, it may be a happy admixture of both. 

The teacher may well be both king and president. 
There are occasions when he must exercise his auto- 
cratic powers, and there are others where it will be 
wise for him to allow Republicanism to have power. 

We will suppose a few instances, for illustration. 

1. A boy has committed an offence for which he has 
been marked. He comes to the teacher with the ex- 
cuse, " I didn't know it was wrong ;" in other words, 
he declares that his inward monitor did not tell him 
that the act was wrong. 

It is now for the teacher to decide on the probability 
of the truth of this excuse. If he believes the boy to 
be dishonest, he may use his authority, as king, and 



MANAGEMENT. 175 

refuse to remove the mark, explaining his course to 
the boy, or not, as seems best. But if he is in doubt 
in regard to the boy's honesty : if it is quite possible, 
owing to the nature of the offence, that he did not 
know that he was doing wrong ; then I would advise 
an appeal to the school. 

After stating the whole case clearly to them, let 
them vote on the question, — Shall the mark be re- 
moved. Do not fail to urge on all the justice of clos- 
ing the door of sympathy. Tell them that this a ques- 
tion not of mercy but justice. Require a decided ma- 
jority one way or the other. 

Even if, through sympathy, the vote may be to re- 
move the mark, you will lose nothing, for if you fear 
to trust them, you may, hereafter, remain the king. 
But you will gain, in either event, the confidence of 
your scholars. They will see that you are to treat 
them as beings capable of judging, to some extent, 
between right and wrong ; you have entrusted to them 
the power of deciding, and thus have given them the 
privilege of self-government. If, as is most probable, 
they have decided the case in accordance with your 
" instructions to the jury," you have established a rule, 
applicable to this and other similar cases. 

2. Suppose that it is of little consequence at what 
time your recesses come. Let them decide, by voting, 
on the times, and, perhaps, on the length of recesses. 

3. Suppose that it is a part of your plan to have 



176 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

school officers, — such as secretary, postmaster, banker, 
editors, captains " in spelling matches," examiners of 
writings (to detect errors), in short, occupants of any 
post of honor. Let these be elected. 

In these elections, balloting is generally the best 
way. 

There are other ways by which the Republican ele- 
ment may enter into a system of school government, 
and I advise its entrance to as great an extent as is 
possible. 

LECTUEES. 

Lecturing seems to have become an established " in- 
stitution" among us. We like to sit in a comfortable 
room, surrounded by our friends and neighbors, and 
have information poured into us by travellers and 
essayists, politicians, poets and priests. It is a lazy 
way of learning, however, and by no means to be re- 
commended as the only method of acquiring knowledge; 
but it has its advantages. If our lecturers would seek 
to instruct rather than to entertain, we should learn 
more, though we might laugh less. 

Lectures for children may be made very profitable to 
them. They are hungry for information, absorpent 
of facts, and may be as much pleased with a talk on 
zoology, or the making of cutlery, including jack- 
knives, as with the exhibition of Signor Blitz, and his 
learned canaries. 



LECTURES. 177 

Last winter, the following course of lectures was 
given in the school-room of the writer : 

One of the clergymen of the city — an accomplished 
scholar — lectured on Astronomy. In his lecture, he 
endeavored to make plain, to youthful understandings, 
the causes of night and day, of the seasons, of eclipses, 
and of the tides. He talked learnedly, yet clearly, of 
the moon, and exhibited the various theories concern- 
ing aerolites. He did not overwhelm his audience 
with the full grandeur of the subject, but picked out 
the parts most likely to interest and profit children. 

A physician talked, on another evening, on Physio- 
logy. He made the subject practical, teaching his au- 
dience the advantages of " sitting up straight," of eat- 
ing sloivly, of breathing pure air, of developing the 
chest and lungs. His lecture was eminently instructive 
and useful. 

A railroad engineer came next, who lectured on 
Railroads and Locomotives. He explained the princi- 
ples and processes of road-making, including bridge-mak- 
ing, in which part he narrated the wonderful construc- 
tion of the Suspension Bridge at Niagara Falls. He 
gave us the history of tJw locomotive, the improvements 
of various inventors, and the construction and action of 
locomotive engines. His lecture was illustrated by 
drawings and black-board sketches, and was extremely 
interesting. 

A fourth lecture was upon Electricity, given by the 
8* 



178 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

writer, assisted by a brother-teacher of the city. Our 
apparatus comprised (when united) almost everything 
manufactured by Chamberlain, of Boston, and our ex- 
periments were full and successful. One of us did the 
talking, the other the experimenting, and the boys and 
their friends were instructed and delighted. 

A gentleman of remarkable mechanical abilities, the 
inventor of several useful machines and applications, 
consented to give the fifth lecture, on Machinery, espe- 
cially the operations of all hinds of steam-engines. Ex- 
periments were made illustrating the properties and 
'powers of steam ; tlie history of steam and its applica- 
tion to machinery, were very thoroughly given, and the 
lecture was a decided success. An attractive feature 
of the entertainment was a working model of a steam- 
ooat-engine, and the high-pressure engine of a flouring- 
mill. 

The illness of a lawyer prevented his delivering a 
lecture on Laws and their operations. He intended to 
read and explain the Constitution of the United States, 
and of our own State, our laivs and penalties, the modus 
operandi of elections, and the details of municipal govern- 
ment. His inability to give this lecture was much re- 
gretted. 

These lectures, together with others given by the 
writer, on various subjects, occupied nearly the whole 
of the winter. They were attended by my boys, and 
many of their parents, sisters, and other friends, and 



LECTURES. 179 

were listened to with the greatest interest. They gave 
character to the school ; they evinced the endeavors of 
the teacher to make his school the best he could. 
Looking at the matter pecuniarily, it was a wise 
" move." Two of these lecturers were paid, and paid 
well, but the money was a profitable investment, as the 
continued increase of the school testified. 

Now, there are many teachers who can get up a 
course of lectures similar to these, and it would seem 
that they should need only a hint, to do it ; but there 
are also many teachers who prefer to enjoy their even- 
ings in their rooms, or in society. Let them. If they 
have any business-wisdom, or any benevolent desire to 
benefit their pupils, or any wish to be popular, they 
will take this hint, and some of the others contained 
in this book, and profit by them. If the writer has 
had any success as a teacher, success both in imparting 
knowledge and receiving a good income from the busi- 
ness, it has been owing, in part, at least, to his con- 
stant efforts to " make school interesting/ 7 by such 
means as he describes in this volume. 

A word — and one which may seem almost unneces- 
sary — on the character of these lectures. Their aim 
should be not to make children wonder, but to inform 
and entertain them. Scientific words and technical 
expressions should be avoided ; explanations should 
be made most clearly, and questions encouraged and 
patiently answered ; illustrations should be given, by 



180 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

apparatus and models, as far as practicable, and by- 
drawings, freely and fully. A scientific lecture can be 
made more interesting to children than a story. Who- 
ever has read " The Chemistry of a Candle," or " The 
Chemistry of a Tea-kettle," in Dickens's " Household 
Words," will testify, I am sure, to the truth of this 
assertion. Children are so fond of hearing about the 
phenomena of nature, the wonders of science, the ad- 
ventures of travellers, the biographies of eminent men, 
and similar matters, and they receive so much profit 
from hearing them, that, for one, the writer takes 
pleasure in talking to them. The up-turned faces and 
sparkling eyes of boys and girls inspire me, and I wish 
to become better qualified to please and profit them. 
I subjoin a list of subjects for lectures and talks : 

Air. Glass. 

Electricity. Printing and 

Eailroads and Book-making. 

Locomotives. Gas. 

Travels. Chemistry. 

Physiology. Photography. 

Life at Sea. Geology. 

Cotton. The Metals. 

Laws. What we eat and drink. 

The Indians. India-rubber. 

Physical Geography. What we wear. 

Pneumatics. Elections. 



LECTURES. 



181 



The Steam-engine. 

Machinery. 

Architecture. 

Philology. 

Technology. 

Gold and Silver. 

Fire-arms. 

Cutlery. 

Heat. 

London. 

Paris. 

New York. 

Water. 

The Telegraph. 

Astronomy. 

General History. 

Biography. 

Ships and Steamers. 

Iron. 

Painting and Sculpture. 



Zoology. 

Italy. 

The Revolution. 

Nineveh. 

Artificial Teeth. 

Japan. 

Central America. 

Arctic Explorations. 

Islands. 

The Bible. 

Hunting and Fishing. 

California. 

Australia. 

Engraving. 

Volcanoes. 

The Trades. 

Underground. 

Whaling. 

Politics. 

Boys. 



There are many books which may be consulted, in pre- 
paring for these lectures, a partial list of which will be 
found at the end of the book. There is one, however, 
a recent publication, which deserves mention particu- 
larly, on account of its usefulness in its department. I 
refer to Porter's Chemistry, a work just issued [1856] 
by Messrs. A. S. Barnes & Co. One peculiarity and 



182 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

excellence of this book consists in the simplicity of its 
experiments. A teacher who has no experience in the 
manipulations of experiments, may venture, with this 
guide, and at the most trifling expense, to illustrate all 
the facts and principles of chemistry. Its excellence, 
also, for a class text-book is so great that there can be 
no doubt of its very general adoption. 

FACTS. 

I was troubled, some time since, by the want of punc- 
tuality in my scholars. I had just undertaken the 
management of a school which had " run down," under 
the control of a man who had governed, at times with 
severity, at times with laxity of discipline, and I was 
at a loss what course to pursue to create a reformation 
in this particular. Acting, however, on the principle 
of attracting rather than coercing, I determined on the 
following plan : I was not sure of its success, and I 
did not make known my motive, intending to try other 
means if this failed. At ten minutes before nine, I 
rang the " first bell ;" at two minutes before nine, I 
tolled the " second bell," and at nine, precisely, I closed 
and locked the door. After opening school with the 
usual devotional exercises, I told the few who were at 
their seats that I intended to spend a quarter of an 
hour, every morning, in telling them something inter- 
esting, something which they would be pleased and 



FACTS. 183 

profited to hear ; and I began at once to tell them 
about what I saw when I was at Vesuvius and Pompeii. 
I made the narration as interesting as I could, and, at 
the end of the fifteen minutes, I opened the door and 
admitted the outsiders. They had arrived, and had 
been surprised to find the door locked j a few of them 
had made a little disturbance, and two or three had 
gone away ; but I said nothing, and we went on with 
the regular exercises. The process was repeated every 
morning. I took pains to have something really in- 
teresting, and I soon began to observe the effects. 
They who had heard the " facts," as I called them, told 
their tardy companions what pleasant information the 
teacher had given them, and advised them to come in 
time, if they wanted to hear something nice. I was 
walking behind two of my boys, one morning, on my 
way to school — two of the quondam tardies — and over- 
heard one of them say, " Hurry up, or we shan't be in 
time for the ' fact P " In a few weeks I had induced 
a good degree of punctuality, although there were 
some who could only be persuaded to be punctual by 
being deprived of their recesses. 

In this way I was led to adopt the general plan of 
giving a fact every morning, a plan which I have re- 
tained, and shall continue. There are thousands of 
facts to be met with, and if the teacher enters in his 
memorandum-book such items as he cannot fail to meet 
with in his readings of books and papers, he will 



184 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

gather a large stock of the kind he will need. Some 
of mine are as follows : 

A telegraphic message, sent from New York to St. 
Louis, will get there about an hour before it started. 
Why? 

If an ignorant boy were to dispute your assertion 
that the earth is round, how could you prove it to him. 
I give the proof, using the black-board as an assistant. 

Personal adventures in the Mammoth Cave of Ken- 
tucky. 

How the English and French, with the Turks, got 
to fighting with Russia. 

About St. Peter's Cathedral, at Rome. 

Dr. Franklin, as Postmaster- General. 

About corks and sponges. 

Mummies. 

How they prepare tea in China. 

It would be easy to extend the list, but here are 
enough for a start. 

Sometimes, instead of a fact, I read something from 
Harper, or " Household Words," from the daily paper, 
or a book. 

Thus, in the course of a year, what a store of infor- 
mation a boy may gain. If each one enters the fact 
of the morning in a blank-book, he will make a volume 
worth a great deal to himself and his friends. 



MEETINGS. 185 



ELECTIONS AND BUSINESS MEETINGS. 

Many a young man, on entering the arena of public 
life, finds himself obliged to take the position of a 
looker-on, because he lacks confidence to stand up as 
a contestant, and is ignorant of the rules and customs 
of the strife. At political meetings, so many of which, 
of various kinds, are constantly being held in every 
city and village of the land, at debating clubs, at so- 
cial discussions, before any audience, however small, 
the young man who has enjoyed no advantages of train- 
ing, must sit in a corner, must hide his light, if he has 
one, under a bushel. He may have clear conceptions 
of the subject under discussion ; he may, unconsciously, 
possess no small degree of eloquence ; but timidity, and 
ignorance of " parliamentary rules," restrain him, and 
he is eclipsed by some shallow-brain who has learned 
the art of letting out freely his watery flow of weak 
ideas. The shallow-brain gets, ultimately, to Congress ; 
while he of the corner, either afraid or unwilling to 
"cope with so formidable an adversary," remains in 
obscurity. It often happens that the civil affairs of a 
town are managed entirely by a few talkative and am- 
bitious men, who have the gift of gab, and no other 
gift. To these the wiser men, the men who talk less 
and think more, submit ; they are out-talked at town- 
meeting, and because the rabble, who are influenced 



186 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

more by speeches than reasons, vote with the speech- 
makers, the wiser men are out-voted also. 

In advocating early and thorough instruction in 
debate, for our boys and young men. I may claim, I 
think, that I advocate the public good, as well as their 
own ; for although some boys may be encouraged and 
aided to become mere speakers, and, perhaps, mere 
demagogues, not a few will be prepared to meet and 
combat successfully the errors of vapid fluency. 

Boys are fond of imitating men in every respect. 
They like to hold meetings, in the school-room, for 
discussion ; and if decisions, of greater or less import- 
ance, result from discussion, they yield to the majority 
"like men." The teacher will find no difficulty in 
initiating and continuing business meetings and debates. 
There will be, or may be, frequent elections in school. 
The officers of the company, if there is one, are mostly 
elective ; the officers of the debating club, the post- 
master, and banker, may be elected ; a school secretary, 
monitors, if any are employed, leaders in spelling- 
matches, superintendents of various departments, and 
other office-holders, may wisely be chosen by the school. 
There are also frequent questions arising, in which the 
boys should have a voice. The uniform of the company 
may be left, partly, at least, to their decision ; the ar- 
rangement of recesses, perhaps even of the hours of 
study and recitation, the times and places of parade or 
of public exhibitions, and other matters of not really 



MEETINGS. 187 

vital importance, may safely be entrusted to them for 
decision. The teacher should seek occasions for call- 
ing school-meetings, for the sake of teaching the boys 
how to discuss and decide. 

It becomes a delicate question, how far a teacner 
may safely leave decisions on school matters in the 
hands of his scholars. If he is sure of a correct public 
sentiment among them, and if he is sure of possessing 
the proper amount and kind of influence over them, he 
may leave much in their hands. A school cannot be a 
pure republic ; the teacher must be in some, if not 
most respects, an absolute monarch ; and his subjects 
should be well aware of this power, and of the reasons 
— which they can easily be made to understand — for 
maintaining it ; but he may yet be partly a President, 
and with tact, and an uncontrolled veto power, he may 
govern with safety and success. In my own exper- 
ience, I have found that the more republican I allowed 
my school to become, the more pleasantly and easily I 
could govern it. The very fact that a decision is in 
their hands, leads them to think seriously on the mat- 
ter ; and it may be safely said that more honest, if not 
wiser votes will be given by boys, on any given ques- 
tion, than by the same number of men. 

We may illustrate this, and, in doing so, I shall draw 
on actual experience. 

In the scheme of administration, in a preceding chap- 
ter, it will be remembered that rules, applying to all 



188 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

cases of misconduct possibly to be anticipated, were 
argued against ; the single rule — Do right, and avoid 
wrong, being the only one considered necessary. 
Under this rule, James and John failed to come in at 
the close of recess ; they stayed out several minutes 
after the others came in ; and to punish them, and se- 
cure greater promptness in them and others in the fu- 
ture, I deprived them of recess for two days. They 
protested against this, not by words, but by sullen looks 
and careless actions. On asking them why they were 
angry at their punishment, they replied that they did 
not know that I was particular about coming in 
promptly ; that I " had not said anything about it f 
that they didn't know they were doing anything wrong. 
I thought this a good occasion for discussing this and 
similar cases which might occur ; so I said nothing in 
reply to them, but, at the close of school, summoned a 
school meeting. After laying the case fully before the 
boys, and giving the reasons of my punishment, I 
claimed the right to settle the matter according to my 
own opinions of right and wrong ; I appealed to them 
to decide whether I did not always act fairly, whether 
I ever showed partiality ; " but," said I, " I am willing 
to leave this case in your hands. The question to be 
discussed and decided is : Was the punishment just ?" 
My boys had not at that time become accustomed to 
express their opinions, and no one said anything ; so, 
to start them, I said : " Does no one think that the 



MEETINGS. 189 

boys' excuse is a good one, or that cases may not some- 
times occur in which there may be doubt whether an 
action is right or wrong ?" This gave material to one 
of the older boys, who was naturally fond of opposing' 
and he rose and gave expression to doubts whether a 
boy could always do right without the guidance of 
rules. Another boy, a bright little fellow, followed 
him, who remarked that the question was whether, in 
this particular case, the punishment was just, and, for 
his part, he thought it was. At this juncture I urged 
on them free expression of sentiment, but took no notice 
of what had been said. A third speaker suggested that 
the boys were afraid to speak out, lest they might make 
enemies. I argued against such fear, and obtained a 
unanimous vote that no one should receive expressions 
of ill-will for opinions, on account of words uttered in 
debate ; and I succeeded in creating a very general 
sentiment against gagging free speech. The debate 
proceeded, and nearly all thought the punishment just. 
On a vote to sustain my decision, there were but two 
" noes." 

But suppose the case had gone against me ; admit 
that to a certain extent I should lose prestige and 
power ; admit that there would be danger, that occa- 
sions would be sought to overthrow my authority, and 
admit that I have not strength and tact enough to 
weather the storm of rebellion which might arise ; 
this at least must be confessed, that the discussion, as 



190 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

such, was of great benefit to the boys. The teacher 
must judge of the safety to his throne of allowing such 
disputes ; but I am of the opinion that if he fortifies 
his position by acts of kindness, by thoughts, rather, 
and looks, and smiles of kindness, by fairness always, 
and firmness when necessary, he may trust his boys 
with considerable power. 

The discussion above mentioned led to another, 
namely : Is it best to adopt a code of laws ? This de- 
bate was held one evening, and some of the parents 
attended. To ensure speaking, I privately instructed 
one of my older boys, one whom I knew I could trust, 
with arguments in the affirmative : he knew my mo- 
tives, and was willing to assist me. He was of service 
in keeping up the debate, which might otherwise have 
flagged. At the commencement of the discussion I 
announced my monarchical properties, my possession 
of the veto, but said that I would yield to a two-thirds 
vote against me ; that if as many as that desired rules, 
I would yield. I also claimed the right to participate 
in the debate. 

Not to make too long a story, I will say only that 
we had a most interesting debate, and that, by rather 
more than a two-thirds vote, it was decided to have 
rules. A committee was chosen to draw up rules for 
my approval, and I retained, of course, the right of 
adding any rules of my own. The result was, that at 
a second meeting to hear the report of the committee, 



MEETINGS. 191 

some fifty rules were proposed. " Oh P said one little 
fellow, "I never can remember all those." Others 
shared his feelings ; a vote to reconsider was passed, 
and after a renewed discussion and another advocacy 
of my opinions, the decision of the previous meeting 
was reversed, and we returned to our old and single 
rule. 

There happened not a few occasions where I allowed 
power to pass from me to them ; but they never abused 
my confidence, nor was my authority weakened. 

Now, I submit, there can be no question that these 
debates were of very great service to the boys. They 
learned how to rise without confusion, " to think on 
their legs," and to speak without stammering. They 
learned, also, " Parliamentary rules," and appreciated 
the courtesies of debate. A debating club was pro- 
posed, organized, and carried into very successful 
operation. Thus, public speaking became popular, 
and my boys astonished their friends, who came to 
hear them. If any of them shall attain to eminence in 
affairs of state, I shall congratulate myself on having 
been instrumental in preparing them for success, and 
they may thank me for my efforts in their behalf. 

There was no need, in the school of which I have 
been speaking, of exercises in " declamation." I must 
admit that I dislike the plan of forcing lads to de- 
claim. I never could see any good results coming, or 
likely to come, from it. Certainly if boys can be in- 



192 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

duced to rise and speak ex tempore, this is better than 
the declamation of borrowed language. In the latter 
case, the boy knows that he is acting a farce ; he does 
not understand the eloquence of Webster ; he knows 
that he is on stilts ; but, in the former, he speaks his 
own thoughts, on a subject in which he is interested, 
and he speaks freely, naturally, well. 

Let me, then, urge on teachers the advantages of 
encouraging public meetings for discussion or election. 
On frequent, and even on slight occasions, call busi- 
ness meetings ; or let a written request, signed by a 
certain number of the boys themselves, be understood 
as authority for a call. 

At these meetings take great care that everything 
shall be done in accordance with the rules and customs 
of men. 

Let there be a " School Secretary," whose business 
it shall be to keep accurate records of all votes and 
resolutions, and to commit to writing a history of all 
the prominent events of school life. This office should 
be one of great honor. 

At first the boys will be " backward about coming 
forward ;" this must be met adroitly by the teacher. 
Let him not refer to the difficulty of standing before 
an audience to speak, but let him rather urge them to 
express their opinions as a thing of course, as a neces- 
sary step towards a full understanding of the matter 
in hand. Conceal the fact from them that they are 



MEETINGS. 193 

actually " speaking, " and they will become speakers 
without being aware of it. 

The teacher must not expect that his business meet- 
ings will be as orderly, at first, as those of men ; but he 
should expect to secure good order ultimately. It 
may be long before they learn Parliamentary rules, 
and acquire the self-control necessary during the excite- 
ment of debate. There will be, at first, much talking 
and playing among the smaller boys and those not 
particularly interested : they who are engaged in the 
contest will be claiming " the floor" often, and several 
at once ; they will be inclined to indulge in person- 
alities, will speak too loud, make assertions instead of 
arguments, " beg the question," and be variously and 
frequently " out of order." All this must be patiently 
and skilfully met and controlled by the teacher ; they 
will improve ; boys are plastic in the hands of a 
man who has their affection, confidence and respect. 
A simple plan of quieting disorder and repressing 
excitement, is to stop all procedings and keep the 
room still for two or three minutes. A few remarks 
like these will accomplish much : " Boys ! I suppose 
you are anxious to have this question settled. Some 
of you, also, wish the meeting over, that you may get 
out to play. Well ; to effect both of these objects, I 
shall suspend operations until the room is quiet, and 
as soon as you are all still, we will go on and finish 
our business, come to a decision and close the meeting. 
9 



194 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

But as soon as you begin to be noisy again, I shall 
stop the debate again." 

The teacher ought generally to preside at all meet- 
ings ; he alone can control and guide them best ; but 
to give the boys opportunity to learn to act as mode- 
rators or chairmen, he should occasionally call on 
them to preside. If he stands by and supports the 
officer by his authority, in case of necessity, no trouble 
can ensue. In a debating club, the boys should have 
their own officers ; but it will be well for the teacher 
to be present at the meetings as often as he can. He 
should also take care that they do not select improper 
or unprofitable subjects for debate. 

In concluding this subject, I must express the hope 
that it will attract the attention of teachers, and that 
it may lead them to adopt some of its suggestions. I 
have seen the good effects of the carrying out of these 
and similar plans for educing colloquial powers, and 
am satisfied that much good can be done in this de- 
partment of teaching. 

MOOT COURTS. 

Moot Courts afford profitable employment for boys' 
evenings. Information is acquired concerning the 
forms and technicalities of that mystery, " the law," of 
which most men are ignorant. There is no reason why 
boys may not be taught to understand, perfectly, the 



MOOT COURTS. 195 

whole process of a suit at law, whether criminal or 
civil. In addition to this, opportunities are offered for 
practice in this kind of public speaking. As has been 
remarked in the preceding chapter, boys will learn to 
speak fluently on subjects in which they are interested, 
when they will continue mere awkward declaimers of 
the eloquence of Webster or Burke. If the case to be 
tried is one which will amuse, excite, or in any way 
interest the school, the counsel on either side will enter 
into the trial most heartily, and the kind of practice 
they will have will be of service to them. 

To accomplish anything by Moot Courts, the teacher 
must be sure to lay his plans in such a way that the 
first one shall be a success. The case must be one of 
no great difficulty ; and it is suggested that a criminal 
would be better than a civil case ; but it must present 
such features that the counsels for plaintiff and defend- 
ant, or State and prisoner, may each have grounds for 
argument. It is advised that the teacher examine the 
records of remarkable trials, and, from two or three of 
the best of them, select materials to make up a case 
of the right kind. Or, one of the school-boys may be 
arraigned on a charge of arson, or theft, or assault, or 
trespass. 

Take care that the counsel make thorough prepara- 
tion, that the witnesses understand just what testimony 
to render, that the sheriff knows his duties, and that 
all the details of the trial are properly prepared, If a 



196 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

lawyer can be induced to act as judge and guide the 
trial in proper channels, the success may be made more 
certain. 

After a while, the boys will have learned how to 
conduct a court, and they may be trusted to carry 
through the whole business, from a grand jury presen- 
tation to a verdict. It will be well to give them the 
entire management ; the teacher, of course, advising, 
and in reality controlling. 

Instances have been known in which a teacher has 
effected, by means of Moot Courts, the detection and 
punishment of offenders whom he had been unable to 
reach by the ordinary forms of school government. 

In a certain school, a long series of petty thefts had 
annoyed the scholars and troubled the teacher. Articles 
of inconsiderable value had been stolen from desks, 
such as knives and pencils, books, drawings, <fcc. The 
teacher's desk, also, had been more than once pillaged 
or ransacked. At last the matter became important, 
by the theft of gold pens from three desks in one week, 
and the scholars grew clamorous for an investigation. 
Strange to say, suspicions could be fastened on no one 
in particular, and the two or three who had been hastily 
charged with the offence, were most anxious for an op- 
portunity of clearing themselves. The teacher was at 
a loss what course to pursue, but at length hit upon the 
expedient of a legal investigation. A grand jury was 
elected, instructed in their duties, and the case was left 



MOOT COURTS. 197 

in their hands. They acted with the utmost secresy. 
It was unknown that any steps had been taken. Police- 
boys were appointed, and the building was watched for 
several nights, and at last the offender was caught. 
He had entered the school-room by means of a false 
key, and was apprehended in the very act of opening 
a desk. 

It is unnecessary to detail the events which followed. 
Suffice it to say that the offender was tried, most skil- 
fully defended, found guilty, and sentenced to expul- 
sion ; with a recommendation to the mercy of the exe- 
cutive, — the teacher. 

The defence rested mainly on the good character of 
the prisoner, who was one of the best scholars and the 
mildest and most inoffensive boy in school, and on the 
fact that he was not caught in the act of stealing. But 
by an incautious admission on the part of the prisoner's 
counsel, the prosecuting attorney turned the case 
against the prisoner, and the jury brought in their ver- 
dict of guilty. Restitution, however, had been made in 
full ; and it became evident, before the verdict, that 
the offender was possessed of a mania for appropriat- 
ing ; that he had stolen for the love of the adventure 
of stealing, had hoarded the articles stolen, and had 
acted from no malicious or wicked notions whatever. 
On this account, and because the jury and the sentiment 
of the whole school was in his favor, pityingly, the re- 
commendation to mercy was added to the verdict. 



198 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

The prisoner would have confessed to the teacher, on 
apprehension, but was persuaded to allow the case to 
come to trial, for the sake of affording the advantages 
of a thorough trial to the school. Whether this was 
best or not, may be left to the decision of the reader. 

The results of this case were most fortunate. The 
offender was thoroughly cured of his propensity, and, 
owing to his evident reformation and his otherwise 
excellent character, he was allowed to remain in school, 
and did not suffer from any serious display of ill-feeling 
from his companions. The benefits derived from the 
trial were very considerable. Several napkinned tal- 
ents for public speaking were brought to light and put 
at interest ; and all were profited by becoming tho- 
roughly acquainted with the forms of law. 

I have given this trial in detail, partly because the 
teacher may learn from it one way with which to deal 
with anomalous cases of discipline, and partly to serve 
as a model of a " case" for trial. It happened to be 
one in which school-boys would be interested, and one 
which offers good material both for the prosecution 
and the defence. There are two or three strong points 
to be made on either side, and it cannot be for the lack 
of material that the trial may not be interesting. 

If it shall add to the motives of a teacher for trying 
the experiment of organizing a Moot Court, I may say 
that all teachers who have tried, with whom the writer 
has conversed on the subject, have expressed unquali- 



POST-OFFICE. 199 

fied approval of the plan, and satisfaction with its 
results. 

SCHOOL POST-OFFICE. 

Facility in expressing one's thoughts is the next best 
thing to having thoughts worthy of expression. "I 
know, but I cannot explain it," is very often the honest 
excuse of good scholars in the recitation-room. In 
writing compositions, in the analysis of problems, even 
in common conversation, many, if not most children, 
find it difficult to express their thoughts. This diffi- 
culty must be met early by the teacher who remembers 
his duties as an educator, as well as an instructor, and 
he will adopt various methods to assist his scholars in 
clothing their thoughts in appropriate language. In 
his classes, he will encourage clearness in explanation : 
in arithmetic, for instance, will be better pleased to 
hear one problem thoroughly analyzed and clearly ex- 
plained, than to see six of them done on slate or black 
board. 

In my own experience, I have found that general 
exercises, having for their purpose the educing of 
thought, are very useful. In various ways I require 
the frequent use of pen and pencil, and always with 
good results. I give now one plan, and shall mention 
others hereafter. 

I should say here that the main features of this plan 



200 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS, 

have been "borrowed from an eminent teacher, whose 
success with it has been greater even than mine. I 
am also indebted to him for many valuable sugges- 
tions. 

Preparations. 

1. Some contrivance to represent a Post-Office. My 
own is an oblong, narrow box, resting on its narrower 
side, on a high table which stands out three feet or 
more from the wall ; its front is a window-sash, its 
back, two doors, opening at the middle ; there are 
thirty-six " boxes," and the lower middle pane of glass 
is removed, and replaced by a little door, hinging at 
the top and fastenable within. The post-master, at 
office-hours, stands behind the table ; the two doors are 
opened, and shut him off, on the sides, from interfer- 
ence ; he opens the front trap-door, and receives and 
delivers letters. The expense of this, nicely grained 
and varnished, and provided with lock and key, was 
ten dollars. No doubt something might be contrived 
for less ; and if expense must be avoided, the post- 
master may use a table-drawer. Yet the " boxes" and 
trap-door give character to and add to the success of 
the plan. 

2. Some cards, about half the size of a common vis- 
iting card, printed, or, almost as well, written upon 



POST-OFFICE. 201 

with the numerals expressing the values of all our sil- 
ver coins, of the regular decimal coinage. The " three- 
cent-pieces," needed especially at the office, must be 
more numerous than the other coins, and the teacher 
will judge from the size of his school, how much money 
to issue. To prevent counterfeiting (although I have 
found no need of prevention) the teacher's name may 
be signed on the back of each card. 

Operation. 

In announcing the plan to the school, enlarge on 
the advantages of learning to write letters well ; speak 
of clerks, who, on applying for a situation, are requested 
to address in their own handwriting ; and remark that 
of two applicants, the one sending in a neatly written 
and properly spelled and punctuated letter, and the 
other sending one just the reverse of this, he who 
writes the better letter will stand the better chance 
of getting the situation. There are many other things 
which may be appropriately said, which I need not 
mention. The teacher then explains the working of 
the plan from the following : 

Harry writes a letter to Charles ; it must be a regu- 
lar letter, on at least a half-sheet of common writing 
paper, inclosed in an envelope, neatly sealed and di- 
rected ; it must contain at least one page of matter, 
written on some sensible theme. Harry takes this to 
9* 



202 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

the post-office, hands it to the postmaster through the 
door, and pays a three-cent card for it, as postage, in 
advance. The postmaster will not receive it if it is 
badly sealed or improperly addressed, but if it is prop- 
erly prepared, he places it in Charley's box, and when 
he applies for it, the postmaster gives it to him. He 
(Charles) then looks over his letter carefully, and 
charges Harry one cent (card money) for every mis- 
take, either of spelling or punctuation ; and if it is 
carelessly written, or contains vulgar language, he 
brings it to the teacher, and he allows a fine of from 
three to twenty-five cents. Now Charles must write 
a reply to Harry, within two days, (school days,) and 
Harry has a chance to charge Charley for his mis- 
takes. Neither will write carelessly, it is to be pre- 
sumed, for the letter costs three cents to begin with, 
at the post-office, and if written without care, will cost 
still more for its errors. If these two boys are equally 
correct at writing, they will each receive about as 
much as they pay out, but if one writes worse than the 
other, he will lose and .the other will gain. So it be- 
hooves each one to write as carefully as possible, using 
his Dictionary often, and consulting the teacher if 
necessary, and to look very closely for mistakes in his 
replies, so as to lose as little, and gain as much as 
possible. 

Boys have been known to make as much as six, 
eight, and sometimes ten dollars in a quarter. The 



POST-OFFICE. 203 

writing is to be done out of school, although I some- 
times allow good scholars to write in school, but these 
only when I am quite sure that they have learned all 
their lessons. 

I now lend each one a dollar. This they may pay 
back at the bank as soon as they please, but it must 
be paid at the end of the term. Every dollar above 
the amount loaned, given in at the end of the term, I 

redeem by paying (say ten or fifteen) cents in 

silver ; but if the boy has lost everything, he must pay 
me the same on every dollar he has borrowed. He 
may borrow more at the bank by giving his note, en- 
dorsed, for thirty or sixty days, and paying regular 
bank discount. In some cases I allow the banker to 
" renew" notes, giving " extension" to some time in 
next term. I have a set of Rules in accordance with 
these general principles. 

There needs to be a Postmaster. He is to be paid 
by the rent of his boxes, for which he may charge 
whatever prices he may think best. If he asks too 
much, he will not rent many ; and if he charges too 
little, he will not make much money. He will have to 
open his office twice a day, at the close of school in 
the morning and afternoon. He had better hire an 
assistant, for if he is away, and the office is not open 
at the time, he must pay a fine. It is well to elect the 
postmaster to serve for one term : — elect by ballot. 

I appoint a Banker. He must be one who knows 



204 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

something about book-keeping, for I require accurate 
accounts of all money passing through his hands. He 
must get two boys to be his security for honesty (as 

the banks all do), and I pay him as salary per 

cent, on the amount of money passing through the 
bank. Bank must be open once a day, at close of 
school in the afternoon. Every boy keeps a bank- 
book, as well as Dr. and Cr. accounts with all his cor- 
respondents. 

The teacher will take care that all business, either 
with the post-office or bank, shall be done in accord- 
ance with regular business forms. He will reserve to 
himself the right to decide all disputes concerning er- 
rors. He will so arrange the Rules and penalties that 
charges shall be promptly paid, either in cash, (card- 
money,) or negotiable paper. If there are no " boxes," 
he will pay the postmaster a salary, perhaps a per 
centage on his cash received, and by giving him the 
franking privilege. The "Rules" must be posted, 
somewhere, conspicuously. 

A better plan, perhaps, than redeeming the money 
with silver, is one that I have tried : it is to have an 
auction at the end of the term, at which such things as 
boys like to possess are purchasable with card-money, 
and with this only. I sometimes buy articles for the 
auction from the boys themselves ; as, a knife, or a 
sail-boat, (model) or a book, with the parent's written 
consent ; paying them in card-money. I buy these 



POST-OFFICE. 205 

things, and others, during the term, and when I have 
acquired anything attractive, I announce it, and per- 
haps display it, as an incentive to them to try to make 
money for the auction. The bank may be a bank of 
deposit, with or without interest to be allowed. The 
banker should prepare a balance for every week ; and 
auditors may be appointed. 

I give prizea in my school, and have sometimes, at 
the scholars 7 request, paid them in card-money. Thus, 
at the auction, the boy may buy what he chooses j if a 
book, I write his name and honor on the fly-leaf. The 
objection to this plan is, that a boy who has worked 
hard and successfully in the post-office, may be out-bid 
by one who has been his inferior in the post-office, but 
has taken one or more prizes. The objection may be 
removed by some ingenuity in receiving bids, or by 
putting up certain articles to be bid for with post-office 
money, and certain others, as perhaps books, to be 
bought with prize-money. 

He may, wisely, make a rule that letters containing 
three closely written pages shall be exempt from post- 
age. Replies must be as long as letters received, 
under penalties for every ten words less. 

Results. 

1. I have known forty letters to pass through the 
office in a day, in a school of fifty -five scholars. I have 



206 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

seen very decided improvement in every respect ; in- 
deed, I may say that in many instances I have been 
unable to detect the least error in long letters. I have 
received the eulogiums of parents on the plan. I know 
that it adds to the general interest of my school. 

2. The boys learn, practically, the forms of bank- 
ing and of making notes, for they may be allowed to 
borrow from each other. The importance of this is 
unquestionable. If the teacher has a class in book- 
keeping, he may require the members of it to act as 
bankers, each a week in turn. 

3. But as a grand result, the boys learn how to ex- 
press their thoughts ; they become accustomed not 
only to clothe their thoughts with words, but also to 
clothe them well, and even elegantly. 

To sum up all, the beneficial results of this post- 
office plan are so great that I earnestly advise every 
teacher who values either the improvement of his 
scholars, or the advancement of his own reputation as a 
teacher, to adopt it in this form, or in some other and 
better one. The money spent will be an addition to 
his capital, both in his present school and in his general 
reputation. 

THE NEWS. 

In a school of the writer's acquaintance, there is a 
class which is worthy of mention. The elder boys, of 
whom there are fifteen or twenty, prepare, on Saturday, 



THE NEWS. 207 

a digest of the news of the week, which they report on 
the following Monday. One boy is called upon for 
the foreign news, another for domestic, a third for 
political, a fourth for literary, a fifth for local. When 
any event of unusual importance has taken place, either 
abroad or at home, this is made the theme of particular 
examination. This is one of the regular classes of the 
school ; its recitations are " marked" by the same stand- 
ard with the others. The teacher takes care to create 
and maintain interest among the members ; he makes 
himself thoroughly acquainted with the news of the 
day, and, by a few words of geographical, political, or 
literary explanation, gives significance to facts and 
rumors, which might otherwise be devoid of attraction, 
and difficult to be retained in memory. 

For the younger members of a school, a plan, carried 
into successful operation by another teacher, may please 
the reader. A large scrap-book is prepared, a com- 
mittee of selection is chosen, a paste-pot made ready, 
and contributions are invited. Every day there are 
brought in the clippings and cuttings, of all the 'boys, 
from home papers. One brings an anecdote, another 
an interesting item of news, a third an arithmetical 
puzzle, a fourth a beautiful or an amusing wood-cut." 
These are handed to the committee, who decide, by a 
majority, on their insertion ; and they paste accepted 
articles into the scrap-book. Pictures are almost 
always acceptable ; short stories and interesting facts 



208 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

are plentiful ; all are gratified at the growth of the 
book ; and, in a short time, a grand collection is made, 
and a fund of entertainment and instruction provided. 
The book is kept on a shelf, similar to those used in 
reading-rooms, and all enjoy the reading of it. The 
teacher has now several huge volumes of this kind. 
One of them was sold at auction, for "post-office 
money," last term, and brought a high price. I envy 
the purchaser his possession. 

LIBRARY. 

A good Library is a very desirable addition to any 
school. The expense of purchasing books deters 
teachers from providing them. Let me tell how li- 
braries have been procured, of excellence in size and 
character, at very little expense to any one, and none 
at all, to the teacher. After talking up the subject 
in such a way that interest in the subject is secured, 
the teacher may invite his boys to lend some of their 
own books to the school, such books as they would be 
willing to lend to their companions. These they are 
to cover firmly, and their names are to be distinctly 
written within. In a school of fifty, one hundred 
volumes may easily be collected, perhaps more. These 
are to be loaned out under strict regulations. Fines 
are to be collected for neglect to return within speci- 
fied times, for losses, injuries or defacements, and these 



LIBRARY. 209 

fines may be easily collected, if there is the understand- 
ing that the money is to be applied to the purchase of 
new books. Let those who have no books, or are un- 
willing to expose their treasure to miscellaneous hand- 
ling, be allowed to become members by the contribution 
of a certain sum of money. When this original col- 
lection becomes stale, invite contributions of money 
for its increase. Let the teacher head the list of con- 
tributions with as liberal an offering as he can afford ; 
let him ask aid from some of his wealthy patrons ; his 
boys will, themselves, contribute dimes and quarters 
freely ; the library may, by these means, be made all 
that a school can need. 

Every teacher should possess encyclopaedias or 
books of reference ; these he should leave for access 
to his school, not to be taken from the rooms, but to 
be examined and returned to their places. 

When a boy leaves school, he may of course, take 
with him the books he has loaned, and he may also be 
entitled to select a volume of a value nearly equal to 
any money he may have contributed. If this is under- 
stood by all, contributions may be more liberally made. 

It will be well to entrust the care of the library to 
a librarian chosen from among the scholars. Such 
posts of trust and honor should be made numerous in 
a school ; boys should early learn to fulfill duties of 
various kinds, the more the better. 



210 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

READING ALOUD. 

The young gentleman or young lady who can read 
aloud correctly and gracefully, possesses an accom- 
plishment which will enable him, or her, to give much 
pleasure to others. How pleasant is that family circle, 
which, in a winter evening, is gathered around the 
fire, beneath the mellow light of a shaded lamp or 
" burner." The father, wearied by the labors of the 
day, enjoys the embracing arms of an easy-chair, and 
desires no more vigorous occupation than that of a 
listener. The good mother, ever busy in the service 
of her children or husband, sits knitting on the oppo- 
site side of the hearth. The elder daughters are sew- 
ing or crocheting, the children are half-busied with 
paints or quiet toys, and all are listening to an elder 
son or brother, who is reading aloud some interesting 
book of travels, or one of Dickens's stories. He reads 
in no drawling, sing-song tone, but throws life and char- 
acter into the language of the author. He delivers 
the remarks of " Cap'n Cuttle" in a rough, solemn, 
and oracular voice, or imitates the hopeful tones of 
" Wal'r's" voice, or the " no-consequence' 7 air of " Mr. 
Toots." If Stephen's Travels, or Layard's Nineveh, 
is the book of the evening, he narrates their adventures 
and discoveries in a manner which would become him 
were he himself the traveller, telling the story of his 
own adventures and discoveries. The time passes unob- 



READING ALOUD. 211 

servably, and when nine o'clock comes — the bed-time 
of the little folks — they beg to sit up a little longer, 
and are only persuaded to go willingly with the pro- 
mise that " brother shall read again to-morrow even- 
ing.' 7 

It is this accomplishment which many desire to see 
taught in schools. Almost all children can be taught 
to read well. What child is there who cannot tell a 
story well. The boy has met with some tragic or 
amusing adventure, and he runs in and gives his 
mother a most glowing description of it ; he imitates, 
unconsciously and naturally, the voices of his playmates 
who were engaged with him in the affair ; he makes 
present the past event. Now, can it be denied that he 
may be able to read the same, or a similar adventure, 
with the same tones and emphasis of voice with which 
he told it ? But for so long a time children have been 
taught to read at school from books which they do not 
understand, or in which they take no interest, that 
they have acquired a drawling way, a lifeless, mechan- 
ical style, in which to " speak up loudly and distinctly" 
is excellence enough. I am glad to admit that a re- 
formation has begun in this department of instruction, 
but there will need a generation or so of school-chil- 
dren, and the constant and varied efforts of teachers 
and parents, to recover from the effects of the old- 
fashioned way. 

A plan to accomplish something in the way of im- 



212 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

provement m school-reading, which has the recommen- 
dation of success, and is, at the same time, an interest- 
ing exercise for the school, is as follows : 

Let the teacher select a story from some book or 
magazine, which he will be sure shall interest his boys. 
Let him give the book containing it to some boy, ask- 
ing him to read the story over to himself a few times, 
to become familiar with it ; and at or near the close 
of school, let the boy read it aloud to his schoolmates. 
Before commencing, however, let the teacher recall 
some amusing event which has recently taken place, 
or select some anecdote from the scrap-book, and let 
him repeat this to the school in a slow, drawling way, 
in a forced, unnatural voice. They will all laugh at 
such a rendering, and will appreciate the meaning 
of the teacher when he changes his tone and style, and 
gives them the event or anecdote in a natural, unaf- 
fected way. Turning now, to the reader, let him re- 
mark to him, " You can take your choice of these two 
ways of reading." As he reads, do not discourage 
him by too frequent interruptions, but, occasionally, 
when he relapses into the drawl, repeat the passage, 
kindly, in the better way, and ask him to notice and 
imitate your manner. When he has ended, read to 
them yourself, some other good story, and let your 
style be worthy of imitation. Have these readings 
often. Be sure that the story is naturally written, is 
lively or exciting, in short, make the exercise one that 



COMPOSITIONS. 213 

all shall be glad to engage in. A good time for the 
reading may be on Friday afternoon, at the close of 
school. Hawthorne's " Wonder Book" and " Twice 
Told Tales," Dana's " Two Years before the Mast," 
" Chambers 7 Series," and " Household Words," are 
books from which good stories may be selected ; but, 
in these days of books, the teacher need seldom be at 
a loss for a story. 

COMPOSITIONS. 

One method of making that bugbear of "compo- 
sition" less frightful, may be grafted upon the above- 
mentioned reading-exercises. Let the story which has 
been heard from the teacher br the reader, be the 
theme for a composition. Require the scholars to 
write out the story from memory, and say to them, by 
way of encouragement, "When you get home, and 
your mother or father asks you what you have done 
to-day, you will be very apt to speak of having heard 
this story. They will want to know what the story 
was, and you will tell them ; you won't have any 
difficulty in telling them the whole story clearly. You 
will not remember the words of the book ; you will 
tell it in your own words. Now this is just the way 
in which I want to have you write the story. Write 
it just as if you were telling it at home." 

They should write it at first on their slates ; then 



214 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

they should look over the work, to correct mistakes, 
and then copy it into their blank-books. 

In this way thoughts are furnished them, and they 
practice themselves in giving expression to these 
thoughts. This, as I think, is at the foundation of suc- 
cess in composing, namely : expressing thoughts, no 
matter whence they are derived. After the student 
has learned to write out his ideas, and to write them 
grammatically, and with correctness in punctuation and 
the other details, he may enter on a course of inventing 
ideas for himself. If this course is adopted, the writer, 
when he has learned to express himself freely and cor- 
rectly, will be no longer impeded, clogged, confused 
with how to write, and the what to write will arrange 
itself clearly and easily in his mind. 

Another advantage of this method is, that children 
are fond of writing stories, while they dread " compo- 
sitions/'' and they can thus be induced . to get into a 
habit of writing, so that they themselves, unconsciously, 
strip the object of their fears of its disagreable dis- 
guise. 

The plan of the writer in teaching this subject has 
long been founded on these principles, and the successes 
of the plan have determined its excellence. 

In detail, it is as follows : 

On Wednesday afternoon a story is read ; one-half 
of the school — say the younger, write this off upon 
their slates, as roughly as they please, taking care only 



COMPOSITIONS. 215 

to get in the whole story, without omissions or altera- 
tions ; they then write it out fully, and as correctly as 
they can, on half foolscap sheets of paper, and hand 
them in to me, at the close of school. I take these 
exercises, and at my leisure I examine them, and cor- 
rect them with red ink. A mistake which I think they 
can correct themselves, I merely underline : an error 
which is correctible in the narrow space between the 
lines, I correct in writing, but more important errors 
I leave for verbal explanation ; I mark the place with 
a large interrogation-point, and require them to come 
to me at my desk to talk about it. On the following 
Wednesday, these corrected exercises are distributed 
to them, and they are required to copy them, noting 
carefully the corrections, into their blank-books. At 
the same time, I read another story for the other, or 
elder, half of the school. I give them a longer and 
more intricate story than I gave to the first division, 
but the process of writing, correcting and copying is 
the same. 

In " marking" these writings I give a high grade for 
comprehensiveness, clearness and accuracy, in the ex- 
ercise ; for absolute correctness and good penmanship 
in the copy. 

Occasionally, instead of reading a story, I give to 
my older division the skeleton of a story, or merely 
the theme for a narration or description. From their 
number I select the best to form an advanced class, 



216 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

which I instruct particularly in the art of composing. 
For this class I would recommend " Brookfield's First 
Book in Composition" as a valuable text book upon 
this subject ; also, " Parker's Exercises in English 
Composition," and " Quackenboss' Second Book," on 
the same subject. Additions are made to this class, 
frequently, by promotion. 

In concluding the subject, I am pleased to be able 
to say that I rarely fail to make "composition" a 
pleasant and easy study, and that my scholars succeed 
in becoming good composers. 

SCHOOL PERIODICAL. 

To encourage writing and to afford profitable enter- 
tainment to his school, the teacher may think it best to 
establish some kind of periodical. If no better plan 
occurs to him,, he may adopt the following : 

Fold a large sheet of printing-paper in newspaper 
shape ; let it be ruled in columns ; let editors, chosen 
by vote of the school, paste into the spaces articles 
selected from the journals of the week, together with 
original matter, written on paper which has been cut 
to fit the spaces ; encourage offerings (original) from 
the scholars by announcing a prize (in post-office 
money) for the best story, in three chapters, or for the 
best piece of poetry. With original matter and selec- 
tions, the editors need never be at a loss to fill their 
columns. Let the ornamental heading of the first page 



GEOGRAPHICAL GAME. 217 

be an original design and drawing. Advertise for 
these, offering rewards for the one accepted ; and have 
a new one for each issue. Let the teacher encourage 
the enterprise by contributions in the shape of good 
selections, and of stories written to praise or ridicule 
some boy's habits. Let the paper remain during the 
week on a reading-desk, similar to that proposed for 
the scrap-book, and at the end of that time, be pre- 
served for comparison and future readings. 

From this, as a beginning, there may grow a period- 
ical worth printing, but the writer's experience has led 
him to think that the publication of school periodicals, 
in printed form, " costs more than it comes to," 

GEOGRAPHICAL GAME. ' 

About ten years ago the writer attended a Teachers' 
Institute in Massachusetts, under the direction of 
Horace Mann. Among the exercises was the follow- 
ing : 

The teachers, ladies and gentlemen, arranged them- 
selves on opposite sides of the room, forming, however, 
a continuous line, standing with their backs against 
the wall. At the request of Mr. Mann, the gentleman 
who stood nearest to him repeated the name of a 
town and gave its State or country. Perhaps it was 
" Boston, Mass." The final letter of Boston, N, was 
the initial letter for the next person, who gave, we 
10 



218 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

will suppose, " Newport, R. I." T came to the third 
in order, who may have given " Trenton, N. J." Thus 
it went on. " No one may give a town which has been 
given before," said the director. 

The circle, or parallelogram, of teachers was able to 
preserve its completeness during the first "round," 
although the last dozen of the hundred and fifty were 
somewhat puzzled to think of new towns, and others 
were in momentary difficulty when the letter which 
came to them was a Y or a K, or a Z. Towns which 
begin with E also became scarce. 

At the conclusion of this round, Mr. Mann remarked 
that some distinct rules were necessary before entering 
upon the second round. After saying that towns might 
be mentioned from any part of the world, he laid down 
the following rules : 

Any one repeating a name of a town ; 

Any one failing to give the State or country to 
which the town belonged ; or 

Any one failing to give a correct name, within one 
minute by the director's watch, 
must sit down. 

He remarked, also, that as the victory would belong 
to the last one standing, it became all to give such 
names as ended in a difficult letter for his or her suc- 
cessor. 

The second round was begun, and now there were 
droppings away from the hitherto intact rank. It 



GEOGRAPHICAL GAME. 219 

happens that there are many names of places which 
end in E, and but few, comparatively, which begin 
with that letter. In addition to this difficulty, by this 
time they who had not pretty good memories, or an 
intimate acquaintance with geography, found it hard 
to think of a name not already mentioned, within the 
sixty seconds ; or they repeated a name, and were 
obliged to sit down. For these reasons, and others, 
at the end of the second round, one-half of the original 
number were in their seats. At the end of the third 
round only ten were left ; but these were veterans, who 
were as familiar with their atlases as their spelling- 
books. This Spartan band was composed of six ladies 
and four gentlemen. As the fourth round was com- 
menced, the attention of the wounded was riveted upon 
the survivors, and the heroes buckled their armor 
tightly around them and prepared for the contest. To 
the spectators it seemed as if there were no more towns 
left ; but they were mistaken. The resources of the 
ten seemed inexhaustible, and they maintained their 
positions during one more round. At this point the 
time was lengthened to two minutes ; but even with 
this indulgence, they could not all maintain the floor. 
Gradually the number was reduced to five, to three, to 
two j a lady, on one side of the room, and a gentleman 
on the other. The excitement now approached its 
climax : it was not only teacher against teacher, but 
sex against sex ; and no one of the ladies wished the 



220 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

gentleman to resign in deference to the laws of gal- 
lantry, as he proposed. They began : for some ten 
minutes they stood firmly ; but at last the lady gave 
her opponent the initial K. It "posed" him ; he ran- 
sacked his memory in vain for a town beginning with 
that letter, which had not already been given, and at 
the expiration of his time he expiringly enunciated 
" Kalcutty" (Calcutta) as a joke, and yielded the palm 
of victory to the lady. The excitement and enthusiasm 
now climacterized in & furor of applause, from both 
sides ; and, amid expressions of delight with the exer- 
cise and its results, the teachers gradually subsided 
into sufficient calmness to go on with the next subject 
on the programme. 

This exercise was thus illustrated by that excellent 
teacher, Mr. Mann, that it might recommend itself as 
an exercise for schools. I suppose that it has been 
adopted in many Massachusetts schools ; but as I have 
not heard of it elsewhere, I think it worthy of a re- 
newed and more general recommendation. 

The teacher who adopts it will be pleased to notice 
the eagerness with which his scholars, after once learn- 
ing the modus operandi, will examine their maps, to 
prepare for the next trial ; and he will be sure that, in 
addition to the advantage the exercise gives in inspir- 
ing the study of Geography, he has added another to 
the list of profitable school amusements. 

The plan may be varied, by confining the contestants 



ARITHMETICAL GAME. 221 

to particular maps, and by requiring more minute de- 
scriptions of the places named ; as, for instance, " New 
Haven, Ct. ; situated on Long Island Sound ; has about 
30,000 inhabitants ; is noted for its college — Yale." 
Or, instead of names of towns, rivers and mountains 
may be mentioned, without restrictions as to initial 
letters, but within the rule concerning repetition. 

The writer has applied the principle on which this 
game is conducted in another way. Minuteness of ob- 
servation, and accurate fullness in description, are de- 
sirable acquirements for writers. In my classes in 
composition, I have sometimes required a division to 
name the adjectives describing a fountain, a landscape, 
a storm, an accident ; or the events of an excursion, a 
term at school, a war, a narrative of adventure (as 
Robinson Crusoe's) ; and have then required them to 
write a composition on the theme thus examined. 



ARITHMETICAL GAME. 

I well remember the interest with which " we boys" 
used to engage in this game. At a quarter before four 
o'clock, our teacher would say — " Slates and pencils." 
In a twinkling we were ready, and, auribus erectis, sat 
waiting for " the sums." He who first solved a problem 
correctly, and announced the result, was allowed to go ; 
and with what triumphant looks did the victor gather 



222 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

his books and march out from among those who were 
still " kept in I" 

The object of the exercise is to give boys practice in 
rapid calculation. If the school is one of heterogeneous 
character, as almost all schools are, it will be necessary 
to make two or three divisions, in which boys of nearly 
equal attainments are to be classed. Let each division 
have opportunity for practise in turn. The teacher is 
to prepare or select problems of ordinary difficulty, 
within the capacity of the division. He must be cer- 
tain that his answers to these are correct. Very slowly 
and distinctly he announces a problem ; the boy who 
first raises his hand is supposed to have found the 
answer, and if, on being allowed to state it, he is 
" right," he is allowed to go ; if he is wrong, another 
one is given. This is continued until all have worked 
their passage out. Details of arrangement may be left 
to the reader. 

DICTATION EXERCISES. 

The importance of the constant use of the pen or 
pencil, in pursuing many studies, is now generally ad- 
mitted. Whether to assist in remembering or ex- 
pressing thought, this agent is most valuable, and 
children cannot too early become accustomed to its 
use. Children are fond of using writing-materials, 
and will often busy themselves most industriously over 



DICTATION EXERCISES. 223 

an exercise to be written, when they would be idle 
over a task requiring only abstract thought. They 
seem to themselves to be accomplishing something, if 
the results of their labors take form in black and 
white. For instance, they may be led to take pleasure 
in preparing their lessons in Geography in the form 
of statistical tables, and the facts and events thus ar- 
ranged would be impressed, by sight, upon their memo- 
ries, while, if they were to study the lesson in the 
ordinary way, they might labor without spirit, and 
with unsatisfactory results. 

It is recommended that the teacher seek various and 
numerous methods of giving employment to the pen- 
cils of his scholars. There is an excellent little book 
which will aid him in doing this, called " Northend's 
Dictation Exercises :" it costs but little, and is worth 
much. It is the result of wise experience, and con- 
tains many most valuable suggestions. 

I will not quote from it, but rather urge teachers to 
buy it, and will venture to give here a few additional 
hints. 

In spelling, the writing out of words in distinct form 
aids the memory wonderfully. Let the teacher dictate 
the words which he wishes learned, making such classi- 
fications of them, at different times, as he thinks best, 
and require his scholars to write them distinctly on 
their slates ; let him give them time to make these as 
correct as reference to the dictionary and applications 



224 SCHOOL AMUSEMENTS. 

of rules can enable them to do, and, at the end of a 
certain time, let him send " examiners" to look over 
the slates. These " examiners" may be, at first, boys 
who are of high standing in this department ; they 
are to hold office, however, only as long as they make 
no mistake themselves. If one of them overlooks an 
error (left, perhaps, on purpose to catch him), or re- 
ports as an error a word, or words, which the examined 
finds, by reference to the dictionary or the teacher, to be 
rightly spelled, the examiner must be deposed, and the 
boy whom he has corrected may take his place, to hold 
office on the same tenure. The examiners are to re- 
port errors to the teacher, and a certain number may 
lower the standing of the errorist. Examiners are 
anxious to retain an honorable office, and they scruti- 
nize, most critically, the exercises of their fellows ; 
these, in turn, are desirous of ousting and supplanting 
the examiners, and, at the same time, are careful not to 
lower their standing by being reported as having made 
mistakes. This plan has worked most admirably. 

"With the same system of " examiners," various gram- 
matical exercises may be given ; such as writing 
sentences, and denoting the several parts of speech 
by abreviations, as n. written over a noun, adj. over 
an adjective, adv. over an adverb, &c. There are 
various other ways of employing these means in study- 
ing Grammar, but it will be needless to enumerate 
them for any inventive teacher. 



DICTATION EXERCISES. 225 

Reference has already been made to a method of 
studying Geography with the fingers as well as the 
eyes. 

In Arithmetic, younger classes may profitably em- 
ploy themselves in copying the muliplication table, 
and the tables of weights and measures. 

I have been very much pleased with exercises in de- 
fining, conducted on the following plan, for which I 
am indebted to Mr. Northend, and which I cannot for- 
bear quoting : I have offered prizes, of inconsiderable 
value, or " credits," (or " plus-es") in standing, for the 
six longest, fullest, clearest and most correctly written 
definitions of twenty such words as these : cotton, 
gunpowder, sugar, steel, animalculae, gold, &c. I 
have received, often, from six to twelve closely written 
foolscap pages of definitions on twenty such words, 
and could see that the writers had examined every en- 
cyclopedia or book of reference within their reach. 
These exercises were written out of school. 

It will not be difficult for the teacher to add to this 
list many other and better exercises. 



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